In 2014, Idaho lawmakers voted for the state to begin the process of gaining control over lands now managed by the federal government. The Legislature empaneled a special committee to review the issue and find answers. But the committee didn’t accomplish as much as it should have. Instead of figuring out how to make the lands transfer happen, the panel spent most of its time asking for public feedback on whether the transfer should occur, even though the Legislature had already committed to its course of action. As a result, state lawmakers should be poised to address the issue once again in 2015. The first step would be to reauthorize the committee to continue its work during the coming 24 months. The next would be to determine what Utah is learning about the potential economic windfall should the state put public land resources to productive use/Wayne Hoffman, Idaho Freedom Foundation. More here.