For Sale: Part of Grand Teton National Park. Majestic views of the Teton Range. Prime location for luxury resort, home development. Pristine habitat for moose, elk, wolves, grizzlies.
Price: US$125 million. Call: Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal.
Wyoming is trying to force the US Department of the Interior to trade land, minerals or mineral royalties for 552 hectares it owns within the majestic park. If the foot-dragging feds don’t agree to a deal — soon — Freudenthal threatens to put a For Sale sign on the property.
Wyoming has owned the land since statehood in 1890, when the federal government set aside land in new Western states to be mined, logged or leased to raise money for public education. Wyoming kept its so-called “school sections” after Grand Teton National Park was established in 1950.
The state has tried for a decade to negotiate some kind of trade.
Saying that his patience is running out, Freudenthal, a Democrat, sent an ultimatum recently to park superintendent Mary Gibson Scott.
“I think he wants to pound the [for sale] sign in himself,” said Ed Grant, director of the Office of State Lands and Investments.
Wyoming gets just US$3,000 a year from the land by leasing it for cattle grazing. Sold with the proceeds invested at 3 percent, the land easily could bring in US$3.75 million a year.
Wyoming’s Constitution requires state officials to manage state lands for maximum profit. Their oaths of office require them to act.
“If it’s to recreate on, or if it’s a new ski lodge, highest and best use,” said Susan Child, deputy director of the state lands office. “It’s obviously not grazing.”
Even in pro-development Wyoming, however, selling off land in a national park isn’t a popular idea. Some are protesting already.
However, Freudenthal, who has a long history of run-ins with the Interior Department over endangered species and snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park, isn’t stepping on any toes he hasn’t smashed already. What’s more, he’s wrapping up his second term and will leave office next year. He’s all but enshrined as one of the most popular governors in Wyoming history.
“We’re going to continue to push on it,” Freudenthal said. “Somehow we’ve got to get some attention.”
He certainly grabbed the park’s.
“These are wildlife-rich habitats completely surrounded by pristine park land,” park spokeswoman Jackie Skaggs said. “For obvious reasons, Grand Teton National Park would be very, very concerned and disappointed if these lands were sold for development.”
A deal wouldn’t be unprecedented: Utah in 1999 worked out an elaborate swap involving nearly 1,550km² of state land within several national parks, monuments and recreation areas. The state got US$50 million plus 620km² of federal land in return.
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