Friday, March 17, 2006
Contact: Spence Jackson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Opposes Sale of Missouri’s Mark Twain Forest Land
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt today sent a letter to Mark Rey, undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), stating his opposition to the sale of national forest land in Missouri.
The proposed sale of 21,000 acres in Missouri from the Mark Twain National Forest would provide funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000. Blunt is concerned the land in Missouri that the USDA Forest Service has proposed to sell is valuable for our state’s recreation activities, scenic beauty and quality of life. The governor believes the land is not isolated, as the Forest Service claims, but appears to be located in areas where it is accessible and utilized.
“Missouri’s natural resources are not a commodity. They are intended to be enjoyed by all, not to be sacrificed just to fill holes in the federal budget,” Blunt said. “The proposed sale takes two blows at our state – one targeting us for significant land sales, and two putting the money generated by any sale in other states’ hands.”
Blunt pointed out in the letter that the sale of Missouri’s forests would benefit school districts in other states more than local school districts.
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