The federal government has responded to Utah’s lawsuit seeking to take over millions of acres of public land, stating that the state’s legal challenge is “without merit.” Utah’s lawsuit questions the Bureau of Land Management’s ability to indefinitely hold onto land without a designation. The federal government argues that the state’s argument lacks merit and faces significant jurisdictional and procedural barriers. The federal government also disputes Utah’s claims that the land must have a designated purpose and that Congress has a duty to dispose of unappropriated public lands.
Utah’s lawsuit seeks to transfer 18.5 million acres of land from the federal government to the state. The state claims that the federal government lacks the constitutional power to hold onto the land “in perpetuity” over the state’s objection. However, the federal government argues that this runs afoul of the constitution’s supremacy clause, which states that federal law takes precedence over state law.
The federal government’s brief also takes issue with Utah invoking original jurisdiction, as the issue does not involve a dispute over state boundaries or Utah’s ability to enforce laws on the land in question. The federal government is urging the Supreme Court to deny Utah’s motion and dismiss the lawsuit.
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