Senator Seeks to Revamp Federal Land Management
12/9/96
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Headline: Senator Seeks to Revamp Federal Land Management
Source: Reuters
Date: 12/9/96
Copyright 1996 by Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuter) - The chairman of the Senate Energy and
Natural Resources subcommittee on forests Larry Craig
proposed major changes Monday in federal control of public
lands, including giving states an opportunity to manage
federal forests.
The Idaho Republican told a news conference the plan will
emphasize multiple uses of federal lands.
``We flatly reject the extremist fantasy that the best
thing we can do for our federal forests is to walk away and
leave them alone.''
``Such an approach, literally shutting human kind out of
whole regions, spells doom for our forested ecosystems,''
he said.
The legislation, which he said would be revised after
further talks with the administration, environmental
groups, ranchers, foresters and others, wil be introduced
formally when Congress reconvenes in January.
States would be given a larger role in determining what
could take place on federal lands in regards to the impact
on water quality. And, more leeway would be granted to use
prescribed fires to manage forest lands. Such fires are
often limited now by local environmental laws due to the
smoke they produce.