Salt Lake Telegram | 1948-09-03 | Page 2 | Public Domain Opened for Use as Airports

I Public Domain Ope Opened ed For Use as Airports h W WASHINGTON Sept 3 UP The interior d department made lands in the public domain available available available avail avail- able for development of at public airports airports airports air air- ports Friday Oft Officials ci Is said the action is of ot I particular interest to counties and communities in the west and should stimulate aviation in that area Interior Secy Seey Krug approved new regulations enabling the departments department's departments department's departments department's de de- de- de bureau of ot land management management management man man- to turn over to states counties and municipalities' municipalities tracts of public land for airstrip pur pur- poses At the same time he disclosed that applications for Cor such land by 12 towns or counties in Idaho Nevada Nevada Nevada Ne Ne- vada Oregon Utah and Wyoming have been approved t I Ten other applications from Oregon Oregon Oregon Ore Ore- gon Utah Colorado and Montana are arc under consideration The airport leasing act of 1928 allowed the interior department to rent public land for tor airport pur pur- poses Many western communities did so usually on term short leases The new regulations however allow the department to transfer title outright when reasonably necessary necessary necessary essary and when certain conditions are met Ownership will revert re to the federal government h how however o w e eve v c r when the land laId Is no longer us used d for airport purposes The federal government bearing in mind the potentialities of atomic energy also retains ownership of ot fissionable ble blo source m materials that may be found on or In the land Applications already approved include those from Gooding I Carbon county and Torrey Mf ford for and Beaver Utah and Ke 1 Greybull Powell Raw and Worland Vorland q Wyo Those under consideration 1 elude Grand Junction Colo Cob ind Grand and San Juan counties ath Delta Utah 0