This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In "Whose land is it anyway?" (Tribune, Nov. 3), Pat Bagley took issue with a proposal to "return to private ownership" 3.3 million acres of land identified by the Bureau of Land Management for disposal, claiming Utah's federal land was never privately owned.
Bagley fails to recognize two important facts. First, Utah's statehood enabling act provided for the eventual disposal of all federal lands within the state, with 5 percent of proceeds going back to Utah. The approximately 130,000 acres identified in Utah are a fraction of what is owed under this founding statute.
Second, since 1960 the federal government has acquired more than 75 million acres of property — greater than the land mass of Arizona. The cost of those acquisitions goes beyond the $9.9 billion used to purchase them. Once land passes from private to public ownership, it is no longer taxable, which hinders local education.
Even more disturbing, the Department of Interior currently faces a $19 billion maintenance backlog on our parks and public lands.
The purpose of HR1126 is to dispose of federal land that was identified by the Clinton-era BLM so resources can be better spent maintaining national parks and other worthy areas of the West.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz
Washington, D.C.