Federal Lands

The US federal government needs to give federal lands back to the states. We have 12 states where federal land occupies between 28.5% and 84.9% of the state’s land mass. There is no reason for the federal government to continue to maintain control over 30% of the US land mass.

Nevada 84.9%   GDP $161.4 billion

Utah      64.9%   GDP $171.6 billion

Idaho     61.6%    GDP $171.6 billion

Alaska   61.2%   GDP $51.0 billion

Oregon  52.1%   GDP $248.7 billion

Wyoming 48.1%   GDP $38.4 billion

California 45.8%   GDP $2.8454 trillion

Arizona    38.6%   GDP 329.6 billion

Colorado 35.9%     GDP $350 billion

New Mexico 34.7% GDP $98 billion

Montana    29%      GDP $48.4 billion

Washington 28.5% GDP $517.4 billion

Several of these Western States are attempting to get the federal government to give them some relief. For some, the federal government owns an excessive amount of land and some of these states could increase their GDP if they could put this land to productive use.

The US should become food independent and raise all of its own cattle, pigs, etc. Most of this Western land can support livestock grazing and large parts of it can be farmed.

There are some states with large deserts and most of Alaska is covered with ice. There are also several states that house Indian Reservations. But all states would benefit by putting more if its land mass into productive use if it is profitable to do so.  States with desert areas should consider what it would take to pipe water to areas where it makes sense to do so. 

https://ballotpedia.org/Federal_land_ownership_by_state

https://www.usgovernmentspending.com/gdp_by_state

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader