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.
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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