Land Management and Resource Use

The speaker acknowledges the authority to execute land changes to alleviate the checkerboard system issues, especially in the Southwest.
The commitment to working with the committee to optimize land transfers with states or tribes is reiterated.

The executive order was with HUD, not Agriculture, and focused on housing.
A study similar to the Southern Nevada Landsack was conducted to address housing issues.
Out of 480,000,000 acres in interior and an additional 200,000,000 acres with forest service, only about 50,000 acres are within three miles of a city, making them potentially eligible for development.
This is less than 1% of the public land and could be a factor in places with high land costs like Nevada and Utah.
The solution is not universal for affordable housing in all 50 states due to limited federal land availability, particularly in the Eastern US, but can be beneficial out West.

The administration is committed to helping communities surrounded by federal lands address housing and public infrastructure needs.
Ensuring the right mix of multiple uses, such as housing, state/tribal land, or local park access is important.
Land use should align with the missions of the agencies involved. Big landlocked states face different challenges compared to states with minimal federal land.

Prioritization of needs in Utah, Nevada, and Alaska is committed.
Wyoming is also a consideration due to significant federal land holdings.
Tribal consultation is critical, generally required by law, and leads to better solutions while expediting the process.
Consultation is not just a formality but a means to achieve better results, and commitment extends to local officials, counties, and ranchers.

The process involves looking at local communities, consulting with the state for concurrence, and tribal consultation.
The process includes assessing the land itself, whether transferring surface or subsurface rights, and considering water resources.
A successful example involves transferring almost 200,000 acres of state and federal land each way in Utah.
Consideration is given to transferring subsurface rights to states, especially for non-public use, to recognize mineral value.

Mismanagement is a source of anger in the West, and addressing it is crucial. Instead of selling assets (like a hotel), improve the management.
There's a commitment to undoing anger and hostility by ensuring communities can benefit from local resources and improve their quality of life.
This includes access to mining, logging, and grazing.
Hunting and fishing should be added to the list of accessible activities.

A review of the $1,200,000,000,000$ is underway to expand hunting and fishing access on numerous parcels of federal land, including BLM and fish and wildlife refuges.
Some wildlife preserves may restrict activities, but opportunities exist to open more areas for hunting and fishing.
This is beneficial for state and local economies, as it is a significant business and a multiple use of public land.
The goal is to make as much land as possible available for hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities.