Cato has published a new section on www.downsizinggovernment.org
that examines the Department of the Interior. Interior is not
one of the largest departments in terms of spending, but it has
huge control over the lands and resources of the western United
States. It oversees more than 500 million acres of land through
the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the
Fish and Wildlife Service, and other agencies. The department
also houses the Bureau of Reclamation, which distributes
subsidized water, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which
administers aid programs for American Indians. Here are some of
ideas discussed at www.downsizinggovernment.org/interior: -
Federal Lands: During the nation’s first century, the federal
government focused on selling and giving away its lands to
individuals, businesses, and state governments. In the 20th
century, the government reversed course and began grabbing more
land, but federal ownership has not led to sound economic or
environment stewardship. A revival o