/ Modified apr 25, 2012 7:14 p.m.

Governors to Convene on Land Showdown

Western states say they want control of millions of federal acres

By The Associated Press

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert says Western states need unity in their stance against federal control of millions of acres in the states.

Herbert says burdensome regulations restricts energy development and limit recreational access in states where the federal government owns a majority of the land.

Arizona is among the states with a significant amount of land under federal control, an estimated 34.9 million acres, or 48 percent of the state's land. The Legislature has passed and sent to the governor SB1332 to allow state takeover of 25 million federal acres by 2014.

SB1332, sponsored by Sen. Al Melvin, R-Tucson, would exempt from state takeover Native American lands, military bases and national parks.

In Utah, Herbert signed similar legislation into law, and now he has called a summit for Friday in Salt Lake City of governors from Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming to discuss unifying on the issue.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says the Utah law is a political stunt that defies common sense.

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