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Report: Federal lands huge economic factor

Habitat destruction, compounded by the recent energy boom in Wyoming, have put more pressure on sage grouse and their struggle to keep their home on the range. (Wyoming Game and Fish)
By Rich Landers richl@spokesman.com(509) 459-5508

PUBLIC LANDS — No wonder some people want to take over federal lands for private interests.  Turns out they’re damned valuable.

U.S. Interior Department: 1 in 4 jobs in Wyoming tied to federal lands
In a report issued this week, the U.S. Department of Interior said that federal lands in Wyoming supported 81,000 jobs in the Cowboy State, about one in four. The energy sector provided 52,000 of those jobs, and the recreation sector provided 14,500 of those jobs in the last year.
—Wyoming Business Report

* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "Outdoors Blog." Read all stories from this blog