Drivers on Valley freeways are being encouraged to “U-Turn Utah." Billboards say “Get outside in a state that respects our outdoors.”
"The whole campaign is designed to spoof the Utah tourism campaign," said Aaron Weiss, media director for the Colorado-based Center for Western Priorities, the group behind the campaign.
Weiss said the group seeks to protect public land, including that threatened by politicians who would like to regain control of this land from the federal government.
Utah’s Attorney General has not made a decision yet as to whether to actually file the suit to try to get control of federal lands. Utah State Rep. Kay Christofferson is the main sponsor of a bill that sets up an account to pay for the potential suit.
He said the state does not want control of national parks or monuments. Supporters are mainly after Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management land. He likened the situation to that of a neighborhood.
"The owner of its house takes care of a property better than a renter," Christofferson said. "We live here. We understand it. We can do a better job and we can do it more effectively and efficiently than the federal government."
Christofferson said part of the decision on whether to file the lawsuit will be based on the outcome of the presidential election. He said this has been an issue for years, and believes a resolution will have to come from the courts.
