{"id":113001,"date":"2015-04-23T18:07:49","date_gmt":"2015-04-24T00:07:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/senate-backs-lands-bill\/"},"modified":"2015-04-23T18:07:49","modified_gmt":"2015-04-24T00:07:49","slug":"senate-backs-lands-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/senate-backs-lands-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate backs lands bill"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"The
The Colorado Senate advanced a bill that would clarify state jurisdiction over federal lands. The bill faces an uphill climb in the Democratic-controlled House.<\/span>Getty Images\/iStockphoto<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

DENVER \u2013 The Senate on Tuesday advanced a measure that would clarify state jurisdiction over federal lands.<\/p>\n

Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, supported the bill, which passed on a party-line vote of 18-16. It now faces an uphill climb in the Democratic-controlled House.<\/p>\n

The measure has been mired in controversy, with some hunters and anglers and conservationists \u2013 many from Southwest Colorado \u2013 suggesting that the measure is a step toward the state taking control of federal lands, which they worry could lead to shutting down precious recreational areas because of costs associated with management.<\/p>\n

But Roberts disagreed, stating, \u201cThe bill was mischaracterized as a land grab, and I don\u2019t see it as that. I do see it much more about inviting emergency services to protect the people who live close to federal lands,\u201d said Roberts, who pointed out that she lives near federal land and experienced the catastrophic 2002 Missionary Ridge Fire.<\/p>\n

Senate Bill 39 would allow Colorado to exercise authority along with the federal government over federal public lands. Sen. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs, said he sponsored the measure in an effort to give local jurisdictions more of a voice when it comes to criminal investigations and fighting wildfires on federal lands.<\/p>\n

But critics point out that the language of the measure is similar to a proposal pushed by the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council. A loud chorus of opponents echo concerns that the measure is a step in a conservative movement to force the federal government to hand Western lands over to the states.<\/p>\n

The issue hit a tipping point Tuesday on Twitter, where several critics of the legislation suggested that it would \u201cseize public lands.\u201d That prompted a frustrated Senate Republican staffer, from the caucus\u2019 official @ColoSenGOP account, to retort that those critics were \u201clying.\u201d Some didn\u2019t take too kindly to the reply, criticizing Senate Republicans for being \u201cinappropriate\u201d and \u201cinsulting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nothing in the bill actually would hand control of federal lands over to the state. But opponents worry about a shot across the bow. A separate bill, Senate Bill 232, would implement a study group to examine allowing the state to take over management of federal lands. That bill is scheduled for a hearing by a Senate committee Thursday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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