mjh's blog

Selling Off Public Lands — Continued

Tue 02/21/06 at 12:11 am

Tribune: National
Forest land sale planned
By James W. Brosnan
Scripps Howard News Service

The Bush administration

proposes to sell up to 307,000 acres of National Forest in 32 states to developers, including 7,447 acres in New Mexico, to

subsidize schools in timber country. …

More than one-quarter of the acres considered for sale are in California, with 85,465

acres. Idaho is next with 26,194 acres, followed by Colorado, 21,572 acres, and Missouri, 21,566 acres. …

The Forest Service

hopes to generate $800 million over five years from the sale of isolated parcels that are difficult for foresters to manage, said Mark

Rey, undersecretary of Agriculture for natural resources and environment.

In New Mexico, the proposal includes 18 tracts

in the Cibola National Forest, 18 in the Lincoln National Forest and five in the Kiowa National Grassland. They range in size from 20

acres to 640 acres.

The Cibola areas are all west of Grants, in the Zuni Mountains, said Cibola National Forest spokesman

Mark Chavez.

The Forest Service plans to publish maps of the proposed sale properties on its Web site Feb. 28 and take comments on

which ones to remove. …

“Public lands are an asset that need to be managed and conserved,” said Idaho Republican Sen.

Larry Craig.
—–

State Total
Ala. 3,220
Alaska 99
Ariz. 1,030
Ark. 3,612
Calif. 85,465

Colo. 21,572
Fla. 973
Ga. 4,522
Idaho 26,194
Ill. 191
Ky. 4,518
La. 3,895 

Mich. 5,880
Minn. 2,622
Miss. 7,503
Mo. 21,566
Mont. 13,948
Neb. 360
Nev. 2,782 

N.M. 7,447
N.C. 9,828
Ohio 420
Okla. 3,572
Ore. 10,581
S.C. 4,665
S.D. 13,961
Tenn. 2,996 

Texas 4,813
Utah 5,398
Va. 5,717
Wash. 7,516
W.Va. 4,836
Wis. 80
Wyo. 17,659
Nation 

309,441
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service

Secure Rural Schools Forest Service FY 2007

Initiative