Public Lands and Natural Resources


Preserving and Enjoying Idaho’s Public Lands

Idaho’s abundance of parks, forests, and public lands makes our state a wonderful place to live, work, and play.  Nearly two-thirds of Idaho is public land, and as a life-long Idahoan I know the challenges that this creates for local governments.  The federal government has the responsibility to be a good neighbor, rather than simply a burden on states and communities.

As Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees funding for federal land management agencies like the Forest Service, the BLM, the National Park Service, and the Fish and Wildlife Service, I regularly work with these agencies to ensure that they are cooperating with citizens and local leaders in Idaho and using taxpayer resources wisely.  In addition, I constantly work with my colleagues who are not from the West to educate them about the issues and challenges of living in a public land state.

Learn More About:

National Parks System

Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)

Preserving Second Amendment Rights on Public Lands

Recreational Access on Public Lands

Sheep Grazing on Public Lands

User Fees for Private Cabins on Federal Land

Wilderness Designations

Wild Horse and Burro Program

Wild Lands Policy