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"Public land was never planned, it just sort of happened," Bishop said.
The federal government owns roughly 660 million acres in the United States, or 1 out of every 2 acres in the West, according to the five-term congressman.
Much of that land is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, which was organized in the 1930s to inventory and dispose of public lands.
Initially intended as multiple use lands the "BLM has morphed into something else" he claims.
Meth bust may be biggest in Utah's history
By Erin Alberty
The Salt Lake Tribune
May 22, 2012
Federal agents seized more than 56 pounds of methamphetamine Sunday night in what investigators believe is the largest meth bust in Utah's history.
The drugs were found about 10 p.m. Sunday in a car in Salt Lake County as part of a yearlong investigation of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, said Sue Thomas, spokeswoman for the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Guest column by CORY SWANSON
Congressman Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., has taken some heat over his support of H.R. 1505, a bill that strengthens America's ability to protect itself by securing our borders against illegal aliens, drug and human traffickers, and terrorists. Rehberg's opponents have conjured up a bunch of false attacks that this bill will cut off hunters from public lands, even though Rehberg has specifically ensured the bill contains language preventing closures to hunter access.
OIL AND GAS:
Industry report faults NEPA for hamstringing Western projects
Margaret Kriz Hobson, E&E reporter
Published: Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Proposed oil and gas projects on federal lands in Utah and Wyoming, which could provide a total economic impact of $383.5 billion over their 10- to 15-year lifetime, are being delayed by environmental reviews, according to an industry-funded study.
"This clearly illustrates that the BLM recognizes that public lands are overrun with criminal activity, and as a result, the land is suffering severe environmental degradation. While bringing in law enforcement rangers is a well-intentioned effort, the best long term solution must be one that allows U.S. Border Patrol agents to have a greater routine presence on our federal lands. They must be able to apprehend and deter criminals on all areas throughout the border region. This is key to our overall efforts to achieve and maintain total operational control of our borders.
"The issues concerning border security go beyond drug smuggling. The gaps in security on our nations public lands not only provide access for drug and human traffickers, but also potential terrorists. Opponents of H.R. 1505 have set out to misrepresent the facts of the legislation. To be clear, the National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act was introduced to address the limitations placed on the U.S. Border Patrol's access to public lands located throughout the border region. It importantly gives the U.S. Border Patrol the access they need to apprehend and deter dangerous criminals using public lands for illegal entry into the U.S.
March 15, 2012
BACKGROUND
The National Defense Authorization Act and Military Detention of U.S. Citizens