Rep. Ken Ivory urges Arizona lawmakers to follow Utah’s lead and declare sovereignty over Arizona’s public lands.
Reports The Tucson Sentinel:
The Utah lawmaker who authored a law calling for the federal government to relinquish authority over public lands said Thursday that devastating wildfires are one reason for Arizona to follow suit.
“Federal policy prevents harvesting any trees,” Republican Rep. Ken Ivory said during a presentation to a State Capitol audience that included GOP lawmakers. “This is causing raging wildfires, polluting the air, killing millions of animals and devastating watershed for decades.”
Utah’s law, enacted in 2012, demands that Washington cede control of 20 million acres in that state. While legal scholars and others said the law is likely unconstitutional, supporters said it would open lands to uses such as mining and grazing that generate revenue for the state.
