How the State Route 18 Scenic Resource Coalition Started
The St. George Bureau of Land Management (BLM) office received a request in 2022 to grant a waiver that, if granted, would allow construction of a utility scale solar installation on up to 7000 acres of public lands in Western Washington County, UT. The land, located just East of State Route 18, near the communities of Veyo, Dammeron Valley, and Diamond Valley, is a series of rolling foothills at the base of Pine Mountain. The area is highly visible and serves as the recharge zone for a critical local aquafer. BLM has zoned this area as incompatible with solar installations due to slope and visual blight. The 2022 request was to waive the zoning restriction and allow consideration of the project.
As news of the proposed Red Butte Industrial Solar Project spread, residents and recreational users were alarmed by the BLM’s consideration of the request. If approved, the project would create enormous damage and blight, blocking public access and recreational use of the land . A small group of residents mobilized to inform the public of the project, and began work on a petition drive to discourage the BLM from granting the waiver. The group recognized that preventing one proposed project would not protect the area from similar proposals in the future. Discussions began about preserving these public lands via Utah State Scenic Byway designation for a portion of State Route 18.
Now formally recognized as the SR-18 Scenic Resource Coalition, the first organizers have been joined by volunteer subject matter professionals and concerned organizations and individuals who support the effort to achieve Scenic Byway status for SR-18 from the Chuckwalla Trailhead to Enterprise. While the proposed Red Butte project has been withdrawn from BLM consideration at this time, without Scenic Byway designation there is nothing to protect the land from future development for large-scale utility or other uses inconsistent with public access and enjoyment.
Please explore our website to learn more about SR-18 SRC and consider how you can help preserve these amazing and irreplaceable public lands for the enjoyment of current and future generations.