I sent my Senator my concerns over selling off public land to the states along with the form letter from BHA. This is his reply.
I try to send something weekly to a couple senators in state and out of state.
On Thu, Jul 12, 2018 at 2:26 PM Senator Todd Young <
[email protected]> wrote:
Dear Mr. Merta,
Thank you for contacting me regarding our nation’s federal lands. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was established in 1946 to consolidate the General Land Office and the U.S. Grazing Service. The BLM, an agency within the Department of Interior (DOI), is responsible for managing lands and resources across the United States. The BLM manages roughly 245 million acres of America’s federal lands.
On January 24, 2017, Representative Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) introduced H.R. 621, the Disposal of Excess Federal Lands Act. This legislation would instruct the Secretary of the Interior to make available for purchase federal lands in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming. The DOI previously identified the specified federal lands in a 1997 report to Congress, which determined these lands suitable for disposal. On February 1, 2017, Rep. Chaffetz informally withdrew his bill from further consideration. H.R. 621 does not have a companion bill in the Senate.
National Parks and wilderness areas are an important part of our federal lands system. It is important that we are responsible in our conservation efforts and ensure the protection of our landmarks and parks for future generations. Please be assured I will keep your thoughts in mind should any relevant legislation come before the Senate for consideration.
Again, thank you for contacting me. It is an honor to represent you in the United States Senate.
Sincerely,
Todd Young
United States Senator