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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Keeping Public Lands in Public Hands: Rally Wednesday at Roundhouse

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Tuesday, January 31, 2017   

SANTA FE, N.M. – Hundreds of supporters of keeping public lands in public hands are gathering for their third annual rally at the Roundhouse tomorrow at 11 A.M. They are protesting moves at the state and national level to transfer federal lands to the states.

Susan Torres, the communications director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation says this hot-button issue is getting some traction now that Republicans control both Congress and the White House.

"Public-land seizure is in the official GOP platform, so it seems to be gaining momentum," she said. "We're really against that because selling off our public lands can mean that it goes to a private interest and then the public can't access them anymore."

Advocates of public-land transfer argue that states should have more say over the fate of land within their borders. However, several bills have failed in the state Legislature over the past few years.

Nonetheless, Public Lands Commissioner Aubrey Dunn recently introduced a bill advocating the transfer of federal mineral rights to the state.

President Trump has come out against public-lands transfer. But Garrett VeneKlausen, executive director of the federation, says he's worried the president will change his position.

"We've already seen legislation trying to get land transfer to the states introduced into Congress," he said. "Without his veto power, we could literally lose a significant portion of our public lands in this administration. It is a dire threat right now."

In 2016, several counties passed resolutions to keep public lands under federal control, including Santa Fe, San Miguel, Bernalillo and Taos counties. This year supporters are hoping the city of Albuquerque will do the same.


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