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Malheur Refuge occupation cost taxpayers $3.3 million and counting, Oregonian estimates

Cowboy Duane Leo Ehmer, 45, of Irrigon, Ore., a supporter of the group occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, walks his horse near Burns, Ore., on Jan. 7. Ehmer and two other occupiers were arrested Wednesday. (AP File Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Cowboy Duane Leo Ehmer, 45, of Irrigon, Ore., a supporter of the group occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, walks his horse near Burns, Ore., on Jan. 7. Ehmer and two other occupiers were arrested Wednesday. (AP File Photo/Rick Bowmer)

PUBLIC LANDS -- Armed anti-government protesting is expensive, dangerous business -- and taxpayers pick up the tab.

Work begins on tallying cost of Oregon wildlife refuge occupation
On Tuesday, the FBI, which is investigating the 41-day occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, turned control of the refuge back over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Authorities have yet to quantify the cost of the occupation. However, the Portland Oregonian's analysis of public and tribal budgets pegs preliminary costs to taxpayers at $3.3 million



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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