Three federal agencies spent $392 million in 2012 to manage 32 million acres of Idaho public land, according to a report illustrating costs Idaho would face by assuming oversight of a substantial swath of the territory.
The Idaho Statesman reports the report was requested by U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson from the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
State lawmakers are discussing a proposal to take over 16.4 million acres of federal land.
Among them, Rep. Lawerence Denney says Idaho can manage it better than the federal government.
After seeing Simpson's report, Denney concedes such a move could initially be difficult, but contends Idaho would eventually profit from increased logging and grazing.
Environmental groups say Denney's revenue-boosting expectations are wildly exaggerated.
