OCR Text |
Show BLAA Preparing Transfer Of Federal Land Acreage The Bureau of Land Management is processing applications for transfer of lands to Utah communities, putting into effect Secretary of the Interior James Watt's offer to help states meet community needs, according to BLM Utah State Director Roland Robison. Robison said several leases and patents are about to be issued to Utah communities for lands requested by those communities. All Western governors received a letter from Secretary Watt asking them to identify parcels of federally owned land needed for community expansion purposes and associated services such as schools, hospitals, parks, etc. A riding arena, a watershed protection area for a town's culinary water supply and two sanitary landfills are examples of community needs in Utah consistent with Secretary Watt's offer for which applications are now awaiting final approval. Forty-six requests for some 83,000 acres have been submitted by communities under Secretary Watt's call for identification qf community land neecU. An important facet of the t transfer program is the identification of lands which can or cannot be transferred under current regulations governing the BLM. Communites with interests in acquiring public lands should be aware of the need to identify: acreage needs, proposed land use, development timetable and project funding. They should know, as well, that rental, market value or other appropriate charges will be assessed according to the regulations governing the use or transfer of land. Thw BLM district or area office having jurisdiction over the land in question must be contacted where an application form and filing information can be obtained. |