We just received word that the Utah Supreme Court has granted Victory Ranch and the State of Utah’s motions to stay Judge Pullan’s November Ruling. In short, this means 2,700 miles of rivers and streams are once again closed to public use, effective immediately.
Although we are disappointed in the court’s order, it is of the utmost importance that we follow it. Respect private property and obey all “No Trespassing” signs. Our actions must continue to be above board. We’ll repeat this very important point:
DO NOT TRESPASS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY WITHOUT PERMISSION.
We also should note that there tends to be a presumption in favor of preserving the status quo during the appeal period in cases like this, so while we are disappointed that this happened, we are not necessarily surprised.
We got through 5 years of restricted access to our rivers, and we can get through however many more it takes before the Utah Supreme Court rules on this issue. We remain confident in our legal arguments before the court, and we will continue to pursue all means possible to restore and preserve access to Utah’s public rivers and streams.
Finally, if you are unsettled by this news, and believe in your rights to use the public’s resource, make a donation or come to one of our many fundraising events this spring (see sidebar).
Stand strong. Obey the law. This, too, shall pass.
Board of Directors
Utah Steam Access Coalition
