This article is based on an amicus brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in Utah v. United States

In Utah v. United States , the state of Utah is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s practice of indefinitely holding on to a large percentage of land in the state without a specific purpose.

This deprives the state and its citizens of the ability to manage and benefit from the lands around them, says Julian Zelizer .

Zelizer: Federalism principles also promote innovation and experimentation.