Bill calls for acquiring federal lands

A Wyoming state senator has drafted a bill designed to administer federal lands not wanted by federal agencies.

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Bill calls for acquiring federal lands
By BRODIE FARQUHAR
Star-Tribune correspondent Monday, February 12, 2007

Coincident with a Bush administration budget proposal to sell off federal lands, a Wyoming state senator has drafted a bill designed to administer federal lands not wanted by federal agencies.

The Bush administration released a 2008 budget proposal last week that would require the Forest Service to raise $800 million through land sales and use half of the proceeds for payments to states and half for land acquisition and other programs. A similar proposal last year met with strong bipartisan opposition from state and federal lawmakers as well as hunting, fishing, and other recreation and conservation groups.

National forests in Wyoming have identified 15,498 acres in northeast Wyoming to be sold. Tracts range from 18 acres to 425 acres, scattered in Weston, Crook, Albany, Platte, Converse, Natrona and Campbell counties.

State Sen. Kit Jennings, R-Casper, said hed anticipated that idea would come up again, and figured Wyoming should be ready for it.

His bill, Senate File 103, would facilitate the transfer of management responsibilities for specified federal lands in Wyoming from federal land management agencies to a new program within the State Office of Public Lands.

Although SF 103 isnt going anywhere this session of the Wyoming Legislature, it could be the focus of an interim study later this year, or Jennings could bring it back himself next year.

Jennings said hed like to see the new state office focus on isolated federal tracts and move and trade 'em around to consolidate public lands to improve access for hunters and anglers.

Jennings said he doesnt want to see public lands go private because the tax revenues would be negligible. Far better, he said, is to keep public lands public, but let the state do the management.

A key feature in his bill would have federal land agencies contract management responsibilities to Wyoming, for 75 cents on every dollar normally spent by the feds on management. The Jennings bill would create an 11-person management board that would provide guidance for a land manager who could issue grazing, timber and other permits. The boards makeup would feature two from the agriculture industry, two from the minerals industry, two from tourism, two from sportsmen and three at large.

This is a new idea, Jennings said. To his knowledge, no federal land agency has even thought of this idea. The advantage for federal land managers is they get rid of responsibility for managing some federal lands, he said, while the state benefits by improving access.

SF 103 would also create a wildfire fighting fund of $20 million to $25 million, paid for by a 1-cent-per-acre assessment on federal lands managed by Wyoming.

Janine Blaeloch, executive director of the Western Lands Project in Washington state, said she was puzzled by Jennings' bill. Blaeloch said she couldnt understand why any federal land manager would agree to terms like this. Western Lands focuses on sales, trades and leases involving federal lands.

Public land managers dont like to lose land or power, Blaeloch said. From a Wyoming perspective, the Jennings bill says were going to take over, and youre (the feds) going to pay for it.

Blaeloch also expressed puzzlement why the Bush administration would again try to sell off federal lands, when it failed to do so when Congress was held by Republicans and bipartisan opposition arose to the proposed sale.

Apparently, no amount of obstacles can change their mind, she said.

Additional Information

Web Site: http://www.trib.com/articles/2007/02/12/news/wyoming/b0b2311af1dd035d8725727f002677ec.txt

Category: Forestry>Policies and Politics

Region: Wyoming

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