BLM Approves Utah Canyon Blasting Project to Open Route for Oilfield Trucks, Threatening Indigenous Rock Art and 'Buffalo Soldier' Inscriptions

Environmental groups filed suit against the U.S. Bureau of Land Management on October 6 in Utah federal district court, alleging that the agency's approved Gate Canyon road widening and blasting project in eastern Utah, greenlit in April, contained major deficiencies in its evaluation process and sacrificed at least 47 historic sites — including inscriptions left by 19th-century African American soldiers of the U.S. Army's 'Buffalo Soldier' regiments — along with endangered species, in favor of fossil fuel infrastructure.

According to The Times of India, citing Reuters, the lawsuit specifies that the project plans to conduct blasting on portions of canyon walls standing approximately 100 feet (about 30 meters) tall, widening and paving a 5.3-mile road to create an alternative route for trucks serving Utah's Uinta Basin oilfield. The plaintiffs are the Nine Mile Canyon Coalition, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, and the Center for Biological Diversity.

The plaintiffs identified at least 47 historic sites along or near the project corridor, of which 43 qualify for listing on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. These sites include inscriptions left by 19th-century African American 'Buffalo Soldier' troops, European pioneers, and freighters, some of which are carved or written in axle grease. The complaint alleges that the BLM failed, before approving the proposal, to adequately assess the project's foreseeable impacts on cultural resources, historic sites, scenery, and wildlife, and also failed to provide adequate public comment opportunities as required.

Of greater significance, Gate Canyon connects to Nine Mile Canyon — which the BLM itself has called 'the world's longest art gallery.' According to The Times of India, citing Reuters, Nine Mile Canyon stretches about 46 miles and contains more than 1,000 rock art sites and over 10,000 images, some of which date back to prehistoric times. The project, proposed by Duchesne County, aims to upgrade a winding dirt road into a paved surface. Environmental groups warn that once operational, the project will significantly increase vehicle traffic, placing greater pressure on archaeological sites, scenery, and ecosystems.

The lawsuit also focuses on wildlife concerns. The plaintiffs allege the project threatens habitat of the endangered Mexican spotted owl and accuse the BLM of violating the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, and of failing to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the project's impacts on endangered and threatened species.

According to The Times of India, the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees the BLM, declined to comment on grounds that the litigation is ongoing.

The case represents the second legal challenge mounted over the same oilfield transportation corridor. On June 15, 2026, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a separate challenge, describing it in a press release at the time as an 'oil highway' that could threaten Nine Mile Canyon's cultural and natural heritage.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs are asking the court to rescind the BLM's approval of the project and halt construction pending judicial review of its cultural and ecological impacts. It should be noted that the allegations in the lawsuit are only the plaintiffs' claims and have not yet been confirmed by the court.