Western officials discuss taking land from feds

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Officials from nine Western states say it's time they take control of federal lands within their borders.

The lawmakers and county commissioners met at Utah's Capitol on Friday to discuss their joint goal of wresting oil-, timber- and mineral-rich lands away from the feds.

The Legislative Summit on the Transfer of Public Lands, as it was called, was not publicized until midday, when the Utah House sent out notice of a 4:30 p.m. news conference.

The result of the meeting wasn't clear. But at the news conference, Utah House Speaker Becky Lockhart said it was in the works before this month's standoff between Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and the Bureau of Land Management.

(Full details in Monday's Havre Daily News.)