Interior Department

The Interior Department manages US Federal Lands. Western States are interested in having this land given back to the States.

The U.S. Department of the Interior is a Cabinet-level agency that manages America's vast natural and cultural resources. Our department employs some 70,000 people, including expert scientists and resource-management professionals, in nine technical bureaus:

• Bureau of Indian Affairs

• Bureau of Land Management

• Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

• Bureau of Reclamation

• Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

• National Park Service

• Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• U.S. Geological Survey

https://www.doi.gov/bureaus

National Park Service             28,828

Bureau of Land Management 10,740

Fish and Wildlife                        8,644

Geological Survey                     7,982 

Indian Affairs                             7,470

Reclamation                              5,519

Interior Department                   3,659

Total                                        72,842

https://www.governing.com/gov-data/federal-employees-workforce-numbers-by-state.html

Interior Department Budget FY 2019 is $11.7 billion.

Western States with Federal Lands would do better if the Federal government gave the land and parks back to these States.

The establishment of National Parks is unconstitutional without an Amendment ratified by the States.  US National Parks should be returned to the States.  If this happens, the 28,828 employees in the National Park Service could become State employees, but States would need to prepare to foot the bill.  States may also take federal employees from the Bureau of Land Management to lease land to farmers and ranchers.  States may choose to sell land direct to farmers and ranchers.  Federal forest land should be sold to family tree farmers to prevent forest fires. Tourist sites could be staffed by State employees or privatized. States compete on all other levels with each other and should compete for tourism.

All other functions of the Interior Department could also be absorbed by the States and American Indians assimilated into counties within the States.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader