“There is no hunger like land
hunger,
and no object for which more men are more ready to use unfair and desperate
means that the acquisition of land.”
Gifford Pinchot
In 2001 a similar land swap was proposed, only to be halted by the citizens of Platte County and Southeast Wyoming. Although it may be difficult for Mr. Broe to realize, residents (some third and fourth generation) and full-time inhibitors of the land are very protective and possessive of our lands. Private and public lands not only sustain our population but also feed our souls with their game and rugged pristine beauty. These lands have been described by Western Land Group as “scattered, narrowly configured, or isolated.” “Not easily accessible by the general public, adjacent private and posted lands and extremely rugged topography”. It’s true the lands in question are all of these things, but…they are our public land. Lands designated public by our state and federal constitution.
A
Government Accounting Office report released in June 2000 concluded that the BLM and
Forest Service's land exchange programs has shortchanged federal taxpayers by millions of
dollars by often undervaluing public land and overvaluing private land, the government has
obtained in trade from private interests. The report concluded that, too often, these land
exchanges benefit private business interests at the public's expense. Ironically, the best way to monitor land exchanges
is already written into the laws governing trades of public land. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA)
of 1976 strengthened laws enacted 90 years ago by declaring that all federal lands shall
remain in public ownership except where disposal of a certain parcel will serve the
national interest.
Western Land Group (Broe) states the public will benefit by having these lands improved with conservation and wildlife habitat improvements and protection from future development. Management and budget benefits for taxpayers through consolidated land management. As a taxpayer I don’t see Mr. Broe sending me or anyone else a check for my budget benefit. Big Horn County may benefit with more public land but the counties in Southeast Wyoming get the short end of the deal. The only resident within southeast Wyoming that would benefit would be Pat Broe! Recent articles on the conservation, habitat and growth of elk and bighorn sheep herds indicate there is nothing wrong with the plans currently in place for wildlife management. To date, the Wyoming Game and Fish and Forest Service have maintained the lands in question very well.
The Forest Service Land Disposition and Facility Realignment and Enhancement Act of 2005 authorizes the agency to sell, lease, exchange or otherwise convey a wide variety of property of 40 acres or less. This bill also authorizes the agency to convey as many as ten isolated, undeveloped parcel of 40 acres or less per year that were purchased or previously used for administrative purposes. The agency is not allowed to get rid of land in “Natural” or Recreation Areas.
Wording taken from Western Land Group’s website on land exchanges states as follows:
· “The lands to be exchanged must be of equal monetary value, determined to serve the public interest and preferably located within the same area.”
The land is sacred us. We are born, nurtured, educated and make our living from the land. We die and the land passes to the next generation. Mr. Broe has demonstrated his selfishness of the land in refusing to allow easement into public land. Not all outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, hikers and fisherman tear up private land, in fact most are better conservationists than those with degrees in that field.
The citizens of Southeast Wyoming have previously indicated and indicate again that the land exchange is not in the best public interest for our area nor are the lands to be exchanged located within the same area. The 350 to 400 mile distance between the land parcels places the residents of Southeast Wyoming at a distinct advantage. Mr. Broe does not even own the Devils Canyon land he only holds an option to purchase it.
I urge each of you to write, call or e-mail your federal, state and local government officials. Let them know how you feel about the land exchange. If we in Southeast Wyoming lose these lands, they are gone forever. Don't be afraid to speak out. And never give up.