Utah’s Controversial Campaign to Acquire Federal Lands
Utah’s state officials initiated a PR blitz in 2024 to rally public support for their federal land control lawsuit, utilizing more than $2 million in taxpayer funds. The Salt Lake City-based firm Penna Powers spearheaded the campaign, dubbed “Stand for Our Land,” which aimed to counter opposition from conservation groups like the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. Key strategies included crafting video narratives portraying the federal government as an absentee landlord while presenting the state as a responsible manager of public lands.
Despite using polished messaging and hiring actors, critics claim the campaign misleads citizens about the implications of state control. Notably, a video featuring a voice actor portraying a disabled camper raised eyebrows, with advocates arguing it exploited the disability narrative for political gain.
Utah aims to claim 18.5 million acres of Bureau of Land Management lands, a pursuit with historical roots dating back to the 2012 Transfer of Public Lands Act. However, public opinion remains a hurdle, as polling indicates strong resistance to state ownership of federal lands, even among Utah voters. As of January 2025, the Supreme Court declined to hear Utah’s case, leaving the state’s land transfer ambitions uncertain.
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