Paul Gosar: “This amendment would allow Federal lands included in the withdrawal area to be conveyed or exchanged with State trust…”

“This amendment would allow Federal lands included in the withdrawal area to be conveyed or exchanged with State trust entities, as well as Native American Tribes. Currently, over one-third of the land in New Mexico is owned by the Federal Government. The 316,000-acre withdrawal this bill creates includes substantial parcels of Native American-owned private land and State trust lands. State trust lands are an essential part of funding public services in the West, especially education. However, Federal overreach, such as this legislation, puts that funding at risk. Allowing the conveyance of certain lands in the withdrawal to State trust agencies and private businesses will help to mitigate the effects of this withdrawal on essential public services and local infrastructure. Allowing the conveyance of federally held land will also go a long way to addressing one of the critical problems with this legislation, which is access. Denying access to these lands to private landowners and Native American allottees is simply wrong. The growing Federal estate is not a good thing for the long-term future of the West. Instead of locking up more land, like the majority is trying to do today, we should be focused on increasing multiple use on public lands. We can have our cake, and we can eat it, too. To put it simply, instead of needlessly locking up more land, we should be focused on unlocking the potential of the West, empowering people to enjoy it. Mr.…”