Our view: We should be wary of land purchase

A massive land deal might make a lot of sense for the state, but Sweetwater County’s residents should be weary of such a purchase.

With more than 1 million acres of land and 4 million acres of mineral rights in play, it’s hard not to frame it as a great opportunity for the state. However, for residents who like the open spaces and ability to recreate, the purchase may cause problems in the coming decades if it goes through.

The mineral rights at play are the key acquisition to be concerned with. A state desperate to keep the mineral revenues it’s used to seeing wouldn’t be hard to lease exploratory drilling rights from. Moving beyond that, with control of so much surface land, the state could effectively fence off large swaths of land to promote mineral development and cut residents’ access to places they’ve visited for generations.

In Sweetwater County, the idea of multiple use is ingrained in our collective psyche. Land that can be used for grazing can be camped on, it can be hunted on, it can be enjoyed through a variety of means. Industrial development locks the use of land into one specific use for generations, possibly forever.

This is no means condemning industrial development because the minerals industry had provided a lot to us and responsible development can improve both the area’s economy and our livelihoods. However, we don’t believe the state would be responsible stewards of that land.

Put simply, the state is incapable of managing such a large area. Legislators are continuing to find ways to cut the state’s budget because many are convinced state government is too large and needs to be scaled down. How would creating a land management department fit into that kind of agenda? Our biggest fear is the state parcelling the land and selling it to the highest bidders. Much of the property is located in the Red Desert, which admittedly comes with its own challenges. However, it isn’t hard to see eager property developers or mineral companies come in, buy large portions of land fence if off as the state seeks a return on a purchase that would surely put a severe strain on its reserves. While legislators and state officials seem excited about the prospect of a massive land deal, Sweetwater County residents might be better served by approaching the issue with reservation and demand to how the state intends to move forward if it buys property from Occidental Petroleum.