Issue Position:Seizure of public lands

Issue Position

I love the outdoors. The fresh air, moderate climate and magnificent landscapes that surround us were among the most significant reasons why my wife and I decided to uproot our lives in the Midwest and relocate in Wyoming. We are avid campers, love hiking in the mountains, snow-shoeing, and virtually all forms of outdoor recreation year-round.

I believe that federal lands are already well-managed for the benefit of not only Wyoming residents, but the tourists who visit our wonderful state. The familiar National Forest motto says it well: "Land of Many Uses."

Current initiatives not only in Wyoming but in neighboring Western states to demand a transfer of the land "back to us" is a solution in search of a problem. The land already belongs to "us" (defined as all citizens) through its ownership by the federal government. So the demand to give the land "back to us" seems to be a demand for control of the land by a different "us." Apparently, private land owners and mining companies who want to exclude the public and exploit the land for private benefit are the ones behind this effort. Rather than a "Land of Many Uses," these interests apparently seek to convert that public space into a "Land For My Use Only."

I would strongly oppose any effort that would make it possible, or easier, to transfer public lands to private interests.

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