Utah
Utah leaders gearing up to fight new BLM conservation rule
Kyle Dunphey
(Utah News Dispatch) From members of Utah’s congressional delegation to the state’s governor and attorney general, elected officials in the Beehive State are voicing their opposition to a new rule from the Bureau of Land Management, vowing to fight it in both Congress and the courts.
The BLM last week finalized its “Public Lands Rule,” which allows parcels of public land to be leased for conservation, similar to how the agency currently leases land for mineral extraction, energy development, recreation or grazing.
The rule would allow for a restoration lease, intended for groups or individuals to improve habitats and restore or conserve land — and a mitigation lease, aimed at offsetting existing development and projects on BLM land.
It was widely celebrated by environmental groups, including the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, which in a statement said the rule will “keep conservation front of mind.”
“For too long, the BLM has allowed extractive industries to have their way with our public lands. That’s led to degraded landscapes across the West and the decline of iconic species, like the greater sage-grouse. This rule gives the BLM the tools it needs to right these wrongs and start improving the health of our public lands,” said Kate Groetzinger, communications manager for the Center for Western Priorities.
But in Utah, Republicans argued the rule would lock up land, excluding traditional uses like grazing or commercial guiding. According to a statement from the Utah Department of Natural Resources, the rule will “negatively impact the 22.8 million acres of BLM land in Utah.”
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, in a statement last week, said he looked forward to working with Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes to fight the rule in federal court.
“The added layers of red tape and federal bureaucracy embedded in the BLM’s Public Lands Rule create new roadblocks to conservation work. The health of Utah’s lands and wildlife will suffer as a result. This Rule is contrary to the bedrock principle of ‘multiple-use’ in the BLM’s governing law, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act,” Cox said.
That was the sentiment from Republican Reps. John Curtis, Celeste Maloy and Blake Moore on Monday during a Federal Lands Subcommittee field hearing — part of the House Committee on Natural Resources — in Sand Hollow State Park in Hurricane.
“The rule favors wealthy individuals and environmental groups by creating a new, convoluted leasing system that will allow them to lock up lands that belong to all Utahns,” said Curtis, who recently sponsored a bill that would permanently repeal the Public Lands Rule.
That bill, the Western Economy Security Today Act, passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee but has yet to receive a full vote from lawmakers.
Curtis argued that any new public lands leasing option should come from Congress, not the BLM, or what he called “the will of one person.”
His bill would promote “true conservation,” Curtis said, “rooted in local input rather than preservationist policies handed down by the Biden administration.”
Moore, who said the rule “doesn’t really solve the problem,” asked Washington County Commissioner Adam Snow whether the policy helps or hinders grazing on public land. Snow called the rule an “absolute hindrance.”
“In this county alone, we have massive amounts of land set aside,” said Snow. “Conservation is important, nothing to take away from that. But, it’s balancing multiple uses, and to elevate the conservation rule to say that conservation is at the same level … that only hinders grazing.”
The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance on Monday called the hearing “partisan” and “out of touch with local and national support for protecting public lands.”
“Keeping conservation front and center is particularly important in places like Washington County and across Southwest Utah that are seeing both significant growth and the impacts of climate change such as prolonged drought and diminishing water supplies,” said Travis Hammill, the group’s Washington D.C. director.
Kentucky basketball continues to stay aggressive in the transfer portal, hosting Utah transfer guard Terrence Brown for a visit, according to Matt Jones of KSR, as the Wildcats look to rebuild their backcourt heading into next season.
Brown, a 6-3, 175-pound point guard, is coming off a standout year in which he averaged 19.9 points, 3.8 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game. He shot 45.3% from the field and 32.7% from 3-point range while starting all 32 games and playing over 31 minutes per contest.
There is already a connection between Brown and Kentucky, as he previously played alongside former Wildcat forward Ansley Almonor during the 2023-24 season before Almonor transferred to Kentucky the following year.
Kentucky’s interest in Brown comes as the program looks to reload at the guard position following multiple departures, including Jaland Lowe, Denzel Aberdeen, Jasper Johnson, and Collin Chandler. Head coach Mark Pope and his staff have made it a priority to evaluate all options, with Brown emerging as a serious candidate after a recent phone conversation between the two sides.
The Wildcats have also hosted other guards like Zoom Diallo, and currently, Rob Wright is on campus.
Brown’s visit is part of a busy stretch for Kentucky, with several other notable transfer targets expected to make their way to Lexington, including Alex Wilkins, Donnie Freeman, Jalen Cox, and Magoon Gwath.
The Utah Legislature tried to address the unaffordability or, for some, unavailability of home insurance last year.
The state created a program to inspect “high-risk” properties statewide and charge those properties a fee.
Its start date was supposed to be Jan. 1, but now lawmakers are giving state and local officials an extra year to implement it. House Bill 41, which Gov. Spencer Cox signed in March, moves the start date to Jan. 1, 2027.
Bill sponsor Rep. Thomas Peterson, R-Brigham City, says that’s to give time for cities and counties to petition the state to add or remove properties from the fee area.
“[The Division of] Forestry, Fire and State Lands has said they will work with the cities and counties to amend their maps, if it’s indeed justified,” the representative said during a House committee hearing.
The program targets properties with buildings in the “high-risk wildland-urban interface,” or WUI, meaning those that straddle wilderness and development. The Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands has a map classifying certain properties as high-risk WUI.
That’s the map local governments can petition to amend this year.
Those properties will pay a fee into the new Utah Wildfire Fund, which is supposed to offset fire-related costs. The fee pays for inspections to make sure property owners are being firewise and maintaining their land.
The fee is expected to range from $20 to $100 annually, depending on the size of buildings on a given property and risk level. The state forester has more information on an online FAQ page.
as hard as it is to say goodbye to a special place where you’ve made countless memories, letting one good thing go can invite something even better to take its place. When one Chicago-based couple welcomed their first grandchild, they knew that it was time to part ways with their former Victory Ranch, Utah, retreat and expand into a custom-built home in nearby Kamas, which was designed to grow with their family.
With Jennelle Butera of Bloum Design Co. helming the design, every area of the expansive new homestead was tailored to suit the needs of a full, bustling household, with curated design choices that seamlessly coordinate with the majestic mountainous terrain on full display in nearly every room.
To give the space an artful signature all its own, Butera commissioned numerous custom accents. “We love working with local artisans,” she says. “We layered in pieces that feel deeply personal, from a solid walnut dining table with brass butterflies to a gunmetal kitchen hood and blackened steel fireplace surround.”
Though incredibly spacious and airy, the entire interior still has a warm and inviting feel, making it a natural home base for the entire brood to gather. From an intimate breakfast nook just off the main living area to a family room that’s ready for anything—from game night to cocktail hour—to a primary bathroom that could rival the most luxurious five-star spa, this is the ultimate entertaining home, sure to host countless reunions and gatherings in the years to come. And crucially, the space doesn’t feel cordoned off from the gorgeous natural world outdoors, but very much a part of it.
FAST FACTS
Designer: Jennelle Butera, Bloum Design Co.
Location: Kamas, Utah
The Space: A five-bedroom, six-bathroom home across 8,200 square feet
ENTRYWAY
Guests are greeted by subtle artistic touches.
An entryway needs to make a memorable first impression, and the one in this home, anchored by a distinctive custom walnut console table, is so much more than a simple pass-through. “This entry vestibule serves as an artistic moment,” Butera says. There’s subtle beauty to appreciate underfoot as well, as the dappled pattern of the natural stone pavers is used both indoors and out, providing a seamless visual transition.
THE GREAT ROOM
A comfy, calming space that lives up to its name.
Rug: Armadillo & Co. Couches: Montauk Sofas. Coffee table: The Future Perfect. Chairs: Verellen. Floor lamps: Vaughan Designs.
Walking into the great room, visitors are struck by two distinct features: expansive panorama windows that showcase sweeping mountain vistas and a sumptuous seating area that practically begs sitters to stay awhile and appreciate the view. The deep olive green Montauk sofas were hand-selected not just for their gorgeous color and plush silhouette, but because they feel like a dream. “The clients even took a special trip to the Chicago showroom to personally sit-test them,” Butera quips.
DINING AREA
Gilded accents add polish to everyday meals.
Table: Project Sunday. Chairs: Maiden Home. Rug: Utah Rugs. Light: Apparatus. Bar shelving: Handmade Industries.
Adjacent to the central seating zone is the dining area; at its heart is a custom-fabricated walnut table with cozy mohair-upholstered chairs that offer plenty of spots for dinner party guests to perch.
“Warm and chocolate tones were chosen to complement the natural landscape,” Butera says, and the effect is the total embodiment of—dare we say—quiet luxury. A sophisticated dry bar awaits service nearby, resplendent in its gleaming wallcovering by Alchemy Helio 3.0.
BREAKFAST NOOK
This bonus room is the go-to spot for quiet contemplation.
Banquette: Teerlink Cabinets. Table: Greg Palombo. Chairs: Maiden Home. Pendant: The Urban Electric Co.
For those in-between moments throughout the day, this light-filled breakfast nook, grounded by a custom ash wood table and banquette, offers a casual, quiet corner. “This intimate, everyday space allows them to enjoy the view while sitting with coffee or tea,” Butera says. “It’s also the client’s preferred workspace.”
KITCHEN
Soft moodiness pervades in this hyper-efficient cooking hub.
Countertops: Bianco Superior. Pendants: Allied Maker. Stools: Thomas Hayes Studio. Cabinet hardware: Ashley Norton. Backsplash tile: Bespoke Studio.
“The kitchen showcases a curated interplay of dark and light,” Butera says. Subtle shifts in tone and mood are exemplified through the rich oxidized rift oak cabinetry, which contrasts against the smoky zellige tile backsplash. Crowning the range is a custom gunmetal hood, which Butera calls “the kitchen’s striking focal point.”
The space’s organizational flow was also meticulously mapped out through specialized, streamlined storage to ensure maximum efficiency while also allowing room for beauty. The client’s precious collection of pottery, handmade by her mother, holds court above the cook space in the glass-door upper cabinets.
FAMILY ROOM
A casual escape designed for off-hours enjoyment.
Rug: Antrim. Couch: American Leather. Chair: Younger + Co. Side table: Moe’s Home. Floor lamp: Visual Comfort.
On the lower level, this entertaining zone ups the casual quotient, offering ample storage space for the household to stash games, books, and other off-the-clock accoutrements. Ever ready for all hosting needs, the space includes an oxidized rift oak bar and kitchenette. “The bar was intentionally designed to be camouflaged and sleek,” Butera notes. It also alleviates the need to run upstairs for a refill.
BEDROOM
Relaxed refinement takes center stage.
Wallcovering: Fromental. Pendant light: Visual Comfort & Co. Bed: Lawson-Fenning. Bedding: Boll and Branch. Rug: Rosemary Hallgarten.
Cabinet hardware: Colonial Bronze. Rug: Overland Sheepskin. Closet sconce: The Urban Electric Co.
Waking up is never hard to do in this primary bedroom, which Butera calls “a zen-inspired sanctuary for enjoying the mountain views from bed.” She extended the serene tonal and textural palette to this calming space, adding a watercolor-inspired wallcovering to the room’s feature wall and extending it into the nearby boutique-inspired changing area.
PRIMARY BATHROOM
An everyday sanctuary replete with spa-level luxury.
Countertop material: Crema Marfil. Sconces: The Urban Electric Company.
Shower tile: Silver Wave. Shower fixtures: Newport Brass.
“This primary bathroom is a spacious sanctuary, flooded with natural light,” Butera says. Layers of materiality—limestone floor tiles, a marble sink countertop, a white oak custom vanity—read as a naturalistic extension of the alpine atmosphere just outside.
GUEST ROOM
This home-away-from-home practically guarantees sweet dreams.
Wall paint: Card Room Green, Farrow & Ball. Pendant: Visual Comfort. Rug: Armadillo. Bed: Maiden Home. Nightstand: Maiden Home.
This entire home was designed with five-star hospitality in mind, so the guest rooms were certainly not an afterthought. “The main-level guest bedroom is a warm and welcoming space designed to make family and guests feel at home,” Butera says. The room’s biophilic-inspired sage, almond, and mauve hues cocoon the sleeper to put the mind at ease, while a lantern-like pendant from Visual Comfort & Co., aptly named “Paper Moon,” hangs overhead.
About the Designer
Jennelle Butera of Bloum Design Co. has been creating thoughtful spaces for over a decade. In each aspect of her projects, Jennelle and her team seek connection and collaboration with both their clients and their creative partners to create homes that are truly a team effort and reflect each contributing point of view.
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