Public Lands

New Secretary of the Interior visits county to tour Bears Ears, prepare report to President

Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is visiting San Juan County this week to take a first-hand look at the Bears Ears National Monument. Haaland will arrive in Utah midweek and tour the national monument. At some point following the visit, Haaland will release a report to President Joe...

Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland set to visit San Juan County to investigate Bears Ears

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will visit San Juan County in coming days to take a first-hand look at Bears Ears National Monument. Details of the Secretary’s visit were still not released at the press deadline, but the visit is planned to take place in the month of April. Haaland was approved as...

Photo of the Bears Ears by Bob Wick courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management

Bi-Partisan Utah Bill establishes Tribal committee to create Bears Ears Visitor Center in San Juan County

Utah House Bill 341 passed out of the Utah State House of Representatives in February and the Utah State Senate on March 3. The bill creates an advisory committee to help explore the feasibility, location, functions, and other important matters surrounding the creation of a visitor center in or...

President Biden orders a review of Bears Ears

In one of his first acts as President of the United States, Joe Biden issued an executive order directing the Department of the Interior to review the boundaries and conditions of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. Bears Ears, in San Juan County, was designated by...

In first act as President, Biden orders a review of Bears Ears National Monument

In one of his first acts as President of the United States, Joe Biden has issued an executive order directing the Department of the Interior to review the boundaries and conditions of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. Bears Ears, in San Juan County, was designated by...

New field manager for Monticello BLM Office

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is pleased to announce Amber Denton Johnson is the field manager for the Monticello Field Office in the Canyon Country District. Over the past year, Amber served in a temporary assignment as the Acting Monticello Field Manager but assumed the position...

County will ask Biden to restore Bears Ears

The San Juan County Commission has signaled their intent to continue efforts to restore Bears Ears National Monument to its original size. At the December 1 commission meeting, Commissioners Willie Grayeyes and Kenneth Maryboy voted to send a letter to President-elect Joe Biden asking his...

Mysterious monolith appears in San Juan County

On November 18, the Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau was working with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to conduct a count of big horn sheep in a portion of San Juan County. While on this mission, they spotted an unusual object and landed nearby to investigate further. The crew...

Image of a pick-up truck with decals reading San Juan County sheriff department. Truck sits in front of the public safety building in Monticello, Utah

County Commission signs resolution supporting local law enforcement

San Juan County Commission signed a resolution stating their support of county law enforcement at the August 4 meeting held remotely. The resolution publicly salutes the Sheriff’s department and was passed unanimously. Commission Chair Kenneth Maryboy shared his thoughts on the resolution. “I think...

Gary Torres is the new Canyon Country District Manager

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has selected Gary Torres as the permanent Canyon Country District Manager. The Canyon Country District, comprised of the Moab and Monticello field offices, manages 3.6 million surface acres providing opportunities for recreation, livestock grazing, mineral...