Heb! Public Lands Policies: No New National Monuments, Lots More Drilling, ATVs, Dams, Mining

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While Bush endorsed using the fund to purchase "inholdings," or private land within federal parks, forests and wildlife refuges -- the program uses fees from offshore oil and gas lease rentals and royalty receipts and claimed a $20 billion balance sheet at the time of its expiration -- he stressed his opposition to creating new national monuments.

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During a question-and-answer session, Bush also told one local Nevada official that he would consider efforts to turn over federal lands to state control. "One of the things that I think would be appropriate would be to look at pilot programs where states manage lands -- where they have the resources and capability and skills to be able to do it -- and I certainly would consider the transference issue," Bush said.

Bush's policy proposals also included expediting funding for water storage and infrastructure projects, arguing that faster timetables for such projects are key to addressing ongoing drought in Western states, as well as limiting the permitting process for using federal lands to a two-year period. He similarly endorsed utilizing federal lands for multiple uses, vowing to maintain access to hunters and anglers, while also easing the way for grazing, timber, mining, oil and gas production, and renewable energy production on those lands.

Bush also said that, if elected, he would convene experts to develop a new national policy to address wildfires and expedite "forest health" efforts to reduce fires. "Has anybody measured the carbon emissions of a massive forest fire? Maybe all the people freaking out about the climate change issue could bring their passion to bear to bring about better forest management," Bush told one voter in Reno who expressed concerns about potential fires on federal land.

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http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060026730