Mike Lee Reverses Course on Controversial National Park Proposal, but Conservation Groups Say Concerns Still Remain

Mike Lee reverses course on controversial national park proposal, but conservation groups say concerns still remain

After national park advocacy groups raised alarms last week, Utah Sen. Mike Lee backtracked on a proposal that could have affected some of the nation’s most popular public lands.

Lee backs off amendment to strike parks, trails protections from spending bill

WASHINGTON — Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, filed an amendment Dec. 15 that would have stripped four provisions from a federal spending bill, including language that conservation groups argued helped keep national park sites and related corridors in federal hands. He withdrew the proposal late Thursday after it drew objections and confusion on Capitol Hill, Deseret News reported. The amendment targeted Section 130 of the Interior-Environment appropriati…