Utah Republican Sen. John Curtis used his audience with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche this week to broach a long-standing battle over ownership of more than 35,000 miles of roads on public lands, the senator’s office confirmed Thursday.
Blanche has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill to secure Senate GOP support for his nomination. Some Republicans are seeking assurances from the White House before supporting Blanche.
The conversation with Curtis, first reported by Deseret News revolved around a repealed federal mining law that set ownership rights over roads that cross public lands. Utah is currently fighting the federal government in court over who has control over tens of thousands of miles of road once designated by the law.
“I made it clear that Utahns expect consistent standards from the DOJ, regardless of who is in the White House. I was pleased with his receptivity and understanding of our state’s unique perspective,” Curtis said in a statement.
