The Bureau of Land Management owns 43 percent of all land in Utah. But Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah, introduced a bill Thursday that could make it all state land instead.
Hansen is proposing transferring all of the 270 million acres of BLM land nationally to states that want it.Hansen, chairman of the House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Land, has already held one hearing on the idea, and said he hopes to hold another next month.
"Transferring the BLM lands to the states is a common-sense approach to bring public management of these lands closer to the people who live around, recreate and work on these lands," Hansen said as he introduced the bill.
"This legislation will return to the Western states the ability to control their own destiny," he added.
While many states have hailed the idea - especially because many Westerners dislike Clinton administration policies they say often hinder development - it causes heartburn for environmental groups that worry states may not administer lands well.
"We do have concerns because the states' record on managing lands is not as good as the federal government's. The federal government is more beholding to the national interest than special interests," said Mike Matz, executive director of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.
Matz added, "We don't think this would make economic sense for the states. The federal government spends tens of millions of dollars in Utah to manage lands there. The state would lose that and every other little federal subsidy the state receives for having federal public lands."
However, Hansen has said he believes the transfer could eventually be a moneymaker for states as they take over rights to minerals, timber, grazing and other activities - and operate them as they see fit instead of fighting with federal officials.