Colorado needs to do this. I know we won’t, with chickensucker in office, which breaks my heart. Colorado used to be home of the Mountain Men. Now it’s the home of men mounting men. Disgraceful for such a beautiful, rugged State
More states need to do this. It’s far beyond time to reign in the fed.
This ought to be interesting.
I like it.
And how much are they going to pay the federal government for it?
“That the people inhabiting said proposed State do agree and declare that they forever disclaim all right and title to the unappropriated public lands lying within the boundaries thereof; and to all lands lying within said limits owned or held by any Indian or Indian tribes; and that until the title thereto shall have been extinguished by the United States, the same shall be and remain subject to the disposition of the United States, and said Indian lands shall remain under the absolute jurisdiction and control of the Congress of the United States...” - Section 3 of the Utah Enabling Act, 1894.
All land outside the original 13 states was originally owned by the federal government. Its sale paid for much of the government during the first few decades.
Then to encourage faster settlement they began giving it away as homesteads.
Don’t know about all states, but at least in MO the government was still selling off a lot of land in the early 19th and as late as the 50s/60s.
Most federal land in the West was available for homestead, mining claim or purchase thru the mid 20th. That it stayed in federal hands was mostly because nobody wanted to buy it. Or at least not under the terms available.
I’ve spent a LOT of time in the West. Most of the BLM land, anyway, is not worth much as land on which to earn a living. Obviously mineral rights makes a difference, but most land in the West away from water just isn’t worth anything from a productive POV.
Much of it IS beautiful. But then much of it also bears a close resemblance to a construction site on which work has been interrupted.
The Feds have been pernicious land managers, making life hard for both citizens and state and local law enforcement.
The fuse was lit when Bill Clinton sat on the south rim of the Grand Canyon in AZ and signed away the energy-rich Grand Staircase in UT as an untouchable wilderness. Power-drunk Fed agents from various agencies have messed with people and contributed to growing ill will. The Feds have also made life hard for people seeking the vast energy fields under the soil.
So here we are, at the point where states are taking action. Interesting times.
Idaho had a candidate for governor who wanted to do this - Russ Fulcher. But, the morons put B*tch Otter back into office. Believe me, B*tch won’t do a damned thing.
Hoo RAh... The feds OWNING any State land is obscene..
Short term Leasing maybe but not owning..
bkmk
I have been watching this. I hope they have the courage to do it and it will be a model for other states.
Gee. Doesn't start out the same way. Different article?