Colorado Wildlife Federation Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz halted his bill, H.R. 621, on February 2 that provided for disposal by sale of 3,368,278 acres of public lands in 10 western states, including approximately 93,741 acres in Colorado managed by BLM. These are lands that were identified by BLM in a 1997 Department of Interior report as suitable for sale or exchange (pursuant to the Agricultural Reform Act, Sec.390) . It is an arduous process to identify each of the parcels. Here is the withdrawn bill: www.congress.gov/115/bills/hr621/BILLS-115hr621ih.pdf
We believe that he pulled the bill due to the outcry of a large and diverse array of people who value our public lands. We all are making a difference … but must remain vilgilant. For example, another bill, H.R. 622, would “terminate the law enforcement positions in the US Forest Service and in Bureau of Land Management, relegating this function to local law enforcement authorities through block grants to states. Here is that bill: .www.congress.gov/115/bills/hr622/BILLS-115hr622ih.pdf