[LWVNM Action] Op ed in the Albuquerque Journal

[Judy Williams]

*Federal public lands are for all Americans*
Guest column
By Hannah Burling and Christine Furlanetto
Sunday, July 12th, 2020

The League of Women Voters of New Mexico (LWVNM) is seriously concerned
about the Administration’s nomination of William Perry Pendley to be
director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

Mr. Pendley has a long history of favoring sales of public lands to private
entities. We believe his appointment would be a threat to BLM lands, not
only in New Mexico, but also throughout the West.

BLM lands comprise the largest portion of our federal lands. This is an
issue that affects not only New Mexico, but also other Western states with
large swaths of BLM land.
LWVNM recently completed a study on whether it makes sense to transfer
certain federal lands to the
states where they are located. We concluded that such transfers are not
justified by history or validated by
law and would not make economic sense. Furthermore, such transfers are
likely to limit public access and negatively affect the environment. For
these reasons, we are concerned about the current nominee to head the BLM.

The League study was initiated in response to an effort by some New Mexico
legislators to enact a large-
scale transfer. Utah has passed a law demanding such transfers, and other
Western states are now
considering, or have considered, similar actions. Such transfers could
result in these lands being sold off
to private entities. There is also a risk that the federal government would
attempt to sell federal lands
directly to private entities.

Our study culminated in the adoption by LWVNM of a position that we will
use to advocate for the federal government to retain ownership of federal
lands. We focused on the lands most at risk, those managed by the BLM, the
U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, such as
wildlife refuges.

The core of our position is this paragraph: The League believes that
federal public lands should benefit all
Americans. The lands should remain under the jurisdiction of the federal
government, with Forest Service and BLM lands managed according to a
multiple-use, sustained-yield policy. We support improvements in management
and regulation.
We also believe that if any sale or exchange is considered, it must not
only be in the public interest, but also that a comprehensive assessment
must be completed. Issues included in the assessment must
include: environmental analysis, including air and water quality,
biodiversity, endangered and threatened species; health impacts;
environmental justice; suitability of the proposed land use; subsurface
resources; financial/economic impacts; cultural resources; public access;
management for fire and other natural disasters; and tribal consultation.

Our study committee reviewed legal analyses of the history of federal land
ownership, as well as economic analyses related to proposals in specific
states. We interviewed officials with the BLM, the

Forest Service and the New Mexico State Land Office. We found no
court-supported constitutional or
legal basis requiring the federal government to relinquish ownership of its
lands.

We thank our U.S. Senators Heinrich and Udall for their public statements
of strong opposition to the nomination of Mr. Pendley. We will continue to
monitor the status of federal public lands here in New Mexico.

Hannah Burling is president of the League of Women Voters of New Mexico and
Christine Furlanetto is program chair. Both live in Santa Fe.
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