A coalition of conservation and public lands organizations is urging the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to withdraw portions of its proposed Utah 2026 Second Quarter oil and gas lease sale, warning that dozens of lease parcels would harm the Old Spanish National Historic Trail (OSNHT)—a congressionally designated national historic trail protected under federal law. At least 24 proposed parcels cross or lie in close proximity to the Trail’s Northern Route in southeastern Utah, placing irreplaceable historic landscapes, cultural resources, and scenic values at risk.
The groups argue that the Department of the Interior and BLM have failed to meet mandatory legal requirements under the National Trails System Act, including completion of a required Comprehensive Management Plan, designation of a formal trail right-of-way, and proper environmental review. Without these steps, the agencies cannot legally determine that oil and gas leasing would avoid “substantial interference” with the Trail’s nature and purpose. The coalition calls on BLM to retract the affected parcels and complete legally required trail planning and protections before considering any leasing that could permanently damage the Old Spanish National Historic Trail.