Trump’s mining frenzy drives water fears in Utah

President Donald Trump’s push for a nationwide mining boom is rattling landowners in this remote and water-stricken part of southeastern Utah, one of the driest states in the nation.

About 40 miles east of the sprawling Bears Ears National Monument among the rust-colored mesas, gorges, canyons and cliffs near the La Sal Mountains, ranchers and owners of a bed and breakfast are girding for Lisbon Valley Mining to expand a nearby open-pit copper mine and other operations on more than 1,100 acres of public land.

This part of the state is considered prized conservation land among environmental groups and outdoor recreation enthusiasts. It’s also seeing an uptick in bids to expand existing mines while other projects move quickly through a federal review process, bringing with them the prospect for more jobs — as well as intensified fights over dwindling water resources and fragile landscapes.

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