BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho could be the next western state to engage in a public lands fight with the federal government.
Last year, Utah and Arizona passed legislation demanding the federal government turn over control of millions of acres of public acreage in those states. Utah's governor signed the bill, while Arizona's was vetoed by Gov. Jan Brewer.
On Monday, the Utah legislator who led passage of that state's bill urged Idaho lawmakers take the same step toward managing public land in its borders.
The Utah bill sets a 2014 deadline for the federal government to yield control of nearly 30 million acres. That total does not include national parks and monuments and wilderness.
House Resources and Conservation Committee Chairman Lawerence Denney says he expects to introduce similar legislation in coming weeks.