Press Releases

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Biden Administration announced its Record of Decision to amend Washington County’s incidental take permit for the Northern Corridor highway and select the Red Hills Parkway Expressway alternative. U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), Representatives John Curtis (R-UT), Blake Moore (R-UT), Burgess Owens (R-UT), Celeste Maloy (R-UT) and Representative-elect Mike Kennedy (R-UT) released the following joint statement:

“The Biden administration’s decision to amend Washington County’s permit for a Northern Corridor highway – which was negotiated in good faith and has been part of the county’s transportation management plan for decades – blatantly disregards local voices and the law. The directive in the 2009 Omnibus Public Land Management Act is clear: find a Northern Corridor route that balances conservation and supports growth. The BLM’s permitted alternative, a slight extension of the Red Hills Parkway, does nothing to address the short and long-term traffic relief goals of Washington County, and it fails to protect the prime desert tortoise habitat. Unelected bureaucrats have repeatedly undermined longstanding efforts from state and local leaders and demonstrated an unwillingness to partner with local governments.  We look forward to working with the incoming Trump administration to review this decision and its compliance with federal law.”