THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF LEGAL JOBS ON EARTH
LawCrossing Legal Daily News Feature
Arizona Governor Vetoes Bill for Return of Federal Lands On Monday, Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona vetoed a bill that required the federal government to turn over millions of acres of federal land to the state. Arizona lawmakers had been up in arms for quite some time against federal ownership of the vast areas of land within the state, a move popularly called the “sagebrush revolt.” The veto of the Governor is seen as a surprise blow to the movement by many.
05/15/12
federal funding for education and because by the original agreements according to which Utah became a
The bill, which had cleared the Arizona legislature last
part of the United States, the federal government has
month, demanded that federal agencies return the
the power to pay for education by transferring title of
titles to 48,000 square miles of land to state ownership
lands owned by it. Hence, the lawmakers at Utah hold
by 2015. Governor Brewer, known as a Republican
that reduction in federal funding for education and
stalwart presiding over a Republican-dominated
accompanying hurt to the society can be remedied if
legislature did not agree with the general opinion
federal government chose to complement and fill the
of lawmakers and said that the legislation failed to
funding deficit by transfer of lands to the state.
“identify an enforceable cause of action to force federal The moves in the states like Utah and Arizona follow
lands to be transferred to the state.”
years of frustration at the workings of the federal She expressed herself strongly against the bill and said,
government’s Interior Department’s Bureau of Land
“I am also concerned about the lack of certainty this
Management. Widely held as the sagebrush rebellion
legislation could create for individuals holding existing
and aimed at wresting back state land from the hands
leases on federal lands. Given the difficult economic
of the federal government and subsequent control over
times, I do not believe this is the time to add to that
natural resources, the movement definitely suffered a
uncertainty.”
setback by Brewer’s veto on Monday.
The SB 1332 is similar to a law recently signed in
In one way or the other, the federal government owns
Utah following a Republican drive to reduce federal
at least 42 percent of all the land in Arizona and
ownership of land in the West.
there is great indignation among the local populace. Al Melvin, a Republican state senator who sponsored
Even though experts have warned that Utah’s law
the bill told the media, “It amazes me that she would
would likely result in costly legal battles where
mention employment when the radical … policies of
ultimately the state would lose, the lawmakers of Utah
the federal agencies have stifled and almost killed the
hold that the state has sufficient rights to reclaim
lumber industry, the mining industry and cattle grazing
ownership of the land. They hold so because of poor
on federal lands.”
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