Sued over plan to blast Utah canyon inscribed by 19th century 'Buffalo Soldiers,' European pioneers

Conservation groups have sued the U.S. government over a plan to blast cliff walls in eastern Utah and build an oil truck highway through Gate Canyon, an area with historic inscriptions and near famous Native rock art. The lawsuit against the U.S. Bureau of Land Management says the project would destroy 100-foot (30-meter) cliffs and at least 47 historic sites, including 19th-century inscriptions by Black American “Buffalo Soldiers” and European pioneers. Plaintiffs also argue the cliffs are habitat for threatened species such as the Mexican spotted owl. Gate Canyon runs north off Nine Mile Canyon, described by the agency as the world’s longest art gallery, which spans about 46 miles (74 km). The bureau’s parent agency declined comment due to pending litigation.