(WO) – The Institute for Energy Research (IER) has backed a U.S. Department of the Interior initiative to explore reducing the size of the federal estate. The initiative is included in the department’s new four-year strategic plan, released Nov. 11.
The federal government owns about 640 million acres, or 28% of U.S. land, with about 480 million acres managed by Interior. Ownership is concentrated in the West, ranging from about 46% of California and 53% of Oregon to more than 80% of Nevada. IER said federal holdings often leave Western towns landlocked, limiting housing and infrastructure.
“Across the West, the federal government holds many scattered, non-core parcels that surround growing communities,” said IER President Tom Pyle. “Transferring select, non-essential tracts near growing communities to state, local, and private hands could ease severe housing shortages, unlock responsible energy development, generate revenue for the Treasury, and allow federal agencies to focus their resources on stewarding our truly irreplaceable public lands.”
Pyle said national parks, wildlife habitats and historic sites should remain protected. He acknowledged that proposals to reconsider federal land ownership have drawn opposition from groups on both the left and the right.
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