There was a big step taken toward protecting public lands in Emery County. Wednesday, Representative John Curtis announced the House Committee on Natural Resources passed a bipartisan bill co-authored by Curtis and Senator Orrin Hatch that would protect more than a million acres in Emery County. The Emery County Public Land Management Act of 2018 establishes what Curtis calls the “the Gold Standard” for resolving long-lasting public land problems in Utah and across the country. “While this amendment won't provide every stakeholder with everything they want, I believe it is a reasonable compromise that is supported by locals including the leadership of Emery County,” said Curtis. Governor Herbert also issued his support of the bill saying: “I appreciate these efforts working with Emery County Commissioners and other leaders and stakeholders to develop the Emery County Public Land Management Act of 2018… It’s an important bill and is a great example of what can happen when members of a community set aside differences and work to find solutions that will benefit the county, its residents and the state of Utah,” said Herbert.