Issue Position: Sovereignty Over the Lands and Resources of Idaho

Issue Position

I will work diligently to support sound legislation that works towards transferring ownership of currently held federal lands back to the State of Idaho. Other western states have begun this process. I believe Idahoans can manage our lands more efficiently than the federal bureaucracies. Approximately 63% of all Idaho land is under federal jurisdiction. These lands contain a wealth of resources (water, metals, minerals, timber, natural gas, and much more) which could propel Idaho to better standards of living. Careful stewardship of these resources would allow for both long term environmental care as well as provide abundant jobs for Idaho's economy. Idaho citizens are tired of federal agencies wasting American tax dollars, locking us out of our public lands and stalling our economic recovery by keeping valuable resources out of our reach. When our country was founded, federal land control was supposed to be temporary, and ownership was eventually to be transferred back to the states in "a timely manner."

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