Transfer of Federal Lands to the States
I am wondering how many RVers are aware of the movement to transfer federal lands to the states? Many western states are pushing this initiative. In Wyoming (my home state) nearly 25 million acres w...
Forum Discussion
Utah passed the Utah Transfer of Public Lands Act in 2012 requiring the federal government to transfer most of the federal lands to Utah by the end of 2014. Of course that didn't happen. The state has threatened to sue, but seems to have little chance of success, both because of the US Constitution and the Utah constitution. The lawyers for the Utah Legislature even told them there was very little chance that a lawsuit would succeed (and just cost taxpayers a boatload of money).
Of course the states would sell off the land to raise money. They would have to start paying not just for administrative expenses, but also things like firefighting.
BTW, Nevada sold off all of its public lands long before Harry Reid was around.
Local control may be better for the local economy, but certainly it isn't in the best interests of those of us who don't live in that particular state (i.e. the rest of the United States). Our tax dollars have been invested in infrastructure and management. Do the states intend to pay back that investment to the federal government? (With interest of course.)
Of course the states would sell off the land to raise money. They would have to start paying not just for administrative expenses, but also things like firefighting.
BTW, Nevada sold off all of its public lands long before Harry Reid was around.
Local control may be better for the local economy, but certainly it isn't in the best interests of those of us who don't live in that particular state (i.e. the rest of the United States). Our tax dollars have been invested in infrastructure and management. Do the states intend to pay back that investment to the federal government? (With interest of course.)
