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| March 9th, 2007 |
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Media Contact(s): Peter Carr (202) 224-9854,
Jared Whitley (202) 224-0134 |
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Printable Version |
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HATCH SEEKS LAND TURN-AROUND FOR GARFIELD COUNTY
BLM Land Swap Needed to Fix Previous Land Exchange Error |
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Washington – Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) today introduced legislation to allow Garfield County’s successful Turn-About Ranch to secure 25 acres of land that Congress inadvertently conferred to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1999.
“The Turn-About Ranch helps rehabilitate troubled teens,” Hatch said. “This bill would take the ranch out of the legal limbo Congress put them in so its leaders can focus their full attention on helping at-risk kids.”
During a major land exchange in 1999 between the State of Utah and the BLM, 25 acres that had been leased to Turn-About Ranch were erroneously included in a survey and became BLM land. Because government-owned land administered by the BLM surrounds the private land, the only way to resolve the trespass is through legislation.
Hatch’s bill, which is cosponsored by Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah), would correct the conflict and give the ranch’s owners the opportunity to purchase the land at fair-market value.
Since 1995, Turn-About Ranch has graduated about 500 troubled and at-risk teenagers through an intense program of training and rehabilitation. The ranch employs some 35 Garfield County residents, and the Turn-About Ranch program has strong support from the local community and civic leaders.
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