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Emery County council members cite overuse, litter and weak enforcement in public-lands roundtable
Summary
Council members at the Emery County Public Lands Council meeting praised the county’s diverse public lands but repeatedly warned that rising visitation, litter and limited enforcement are degrading resources and urged staff to pursue management and outreach measures.
Council members at the Emery County Public Lands Council meeting on May reported broad support for public access to federal and state lands, but multiple members said rising visitor numbers and poor compliance are creating management problems.
“ What I like most is just the fact that it's there. You can go out there in the mountains, you can go in the desert, you can go anytime,” the council chair said when launching a roundtable about what members value about local public lands. The chair added: “What I don't like is all the trash that's out there.” Several members echoed that sentiment, describing an increase in litter even in remote locations.
Speakers repeatedly framed the issue as a capacity and stewardship challenge. One member noted the lands support multiple uses — grazing, mining and outdoor recreation — and said the county’s economic drivers make preservation of resources a priority. Other members said tourism promotion has likely increased visitation and urged “balance” between marketing and protecting fragile areas.
Enforcement capacity was a frequent concern. “There's absolutely no enforcement,” one council member said of dispersed sites; another pointed to having too few officers to patrol vast areas. The council asked staff to invite the Road Department and law-enforcement partners to a future meeting so members can better understand where maintenance and enforcement resources are targeted and what funding or grant options exist.
Members also recommended targeted outreach or demonstrations by stakeholders and partner groups (for example, Backcountry Horsemen and the Road Department) to educate the council and the public about on-the-ground work and limits on federal and local authority.
The chair closed the item by asking members to keep the priorities in mind for future discussions and to be ready to support necessary management measures when formal proposals — such as travel planning or site controls — are brought forward.
