MEMORANDUM

TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
DATE

DR. DIANE CARTER

BRYAN CUMMINGS
PROPOSAL FOR PORTFOLIO TOPIC
2/15/2015

I intend to focus my portfolio on strategies to engage and inform the public and
legislators about the potential effects of current legislation pertaining to the transfer of
federal land to state ownership.
The sale of federal land is of particular importance to residents of the West, as 46 percent
of all land in the West is managed by the federal government as federal public land.1
Federally managed lands and national parks have been a steady source of tourism
revenue since their establishment in 1916. These lands represent a covenant between the
federal government and the citizens of the United States. Managed by various agencies
including the Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, the US Fish and
Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service, these areas are of great economic and
environmental importance. Moreover, federal public lands are a legacy to provide future
generations the opportunity to experience an unaltered site as it was thousands of years
ago.
The issue at the core of this topic is whether the ownership and subsequent management
of public lands is best carried out by federal or state entities. Inseparable from this topic
is the matter of what exactly the land will be used for upon change in ownership. Several
state legislatures have noted the recent economic boom in North Dakota resulting from
oil and shale gas fracking operations. North Dakota has more than doubled its economic
output in 11 years.2 With a limited budget to manage public lands the state sold or leased
public lands to the highest bidder, which often happened to be the oil and gas industry.
This has led to a growing concern among those who utilize public lands that they may
become locked out from previously open land as it undergoes resource extraction.
Coinciding with the economic boom in the state have been booms of population, crime,
and homelessness, all related to the sale of public land.
The natural beauty of publicly owned lands has long been conducive to the growth of the
West, both from a population and economic perspective. In fact, a large group of
economists recently issued a letter to President Obama urging him to designate more
public lands and monuments. These economists assert that the preservation of public
lands has allowed the economy of the West to shift from dependence on resource
extraction towards growth in sectors such as finance, engineering, software development
and healthcare.3 Businesses seek to establish their operations and recruit talented
employees to areas where the quality of life is above average. And lets face it; quality of
life in the West is unmatched in other parts of the country. Protection of these lands offers
a place for outdoor enthusiasts to return for recreational purposes. Visitors pump dollars
into local economies by supporting area hotels, restaurants, and shops. In 2010, per capita

income in non-metropolitan western counties with greater than 100,000 acres of protected
public land was $4,360 higher than similar counties without protected lands.1
It is possible for resource extraction and outdoor recreation to coexist on publicly owned
lands, much as they have for so long. Yet due diligence necessary to protect the health of
the land as governments struggle to balance short-term economic gain brought by new
mining technologies against long term environmental, economic, and community
stability.

Works Cited
1

Brownsword, Roger. "West Is Best." SCRIPT-ed (2006): 15-33. Headwaters Economics.

Web. 15 Feb. 2015. <http://headwaterseconomics.org/wphw/wpcontent/uploads /West_Is_Best_Full_Report.pdf>.

Ellis, Blake. "How North Dakota's Economy Doubled in 11 Years." CNNMoney. Cable
News Network, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2015. <http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/
11/news/economy/north-dakota-economy/>.

"Economists Urge President Obama to Protect Federal Public Lands." Headwaters

Economics. N.p., 30 Nov. 2011. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.
<http://headwaterseconomics.org/land/economists-president-public-lands/>.