Park County Commissioners have unanimously voted to give $5000 to an organization that is trying to get federal lands in state hands.
The American Lands Council claims the federal government promised to give back public lands to newly created states. Park County Commission Chair Bucky Hall said that Utah’s Congressman Rob Bishop is trying to make it law.
“Bishop is going to present a bill in Congress asking for the return of the lands. They would become state lands.”
Hall says this movement is a continuation of the Sage Brush rebellion.
“This is the same type of thing. The states out west are trying to use the legislative process to have more local control over public lands" said Hall.
Hall says wilderness lands would remain under federal ownership, and control under the proposed initiative. The state legislature has a group of lawmakers who are looking into the issue.