Clinton seems to favor purchasing lands
but budget deficits may interfer

By Michael Arbanas 
The Idaho Statesman

Then-Rep. Richard Stallings, D-Idaho, pried $625,000 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund so that the BLM could buy land in Hulls Gulch last year for a nature preserve.

Appropriations from the fund have been limited during the Reagan and Bush administrations.

Since the 1981 budget year, appropriations from the fund have been limited during the Reagan and Bush administrations.

Since the 1981 budget year, appropriations from the fund have averaged $253 million a year, according to the Wilderness Society.

During the Carter administration, when Idaho Gov. Cecil Andrus was secretary of the Interior, appropriations were as high as $800 million.

John Freemuth, a political science professor and natural resources expert at Boise State University, said a basic philosophy in the last two administrations opposed federal acquisition of land.

He said Bruce Babbitt, the new Interior secretary, seems more amenable to the idea of buying land, especially in areas surrounded by or next to existing federal lands.

"Current scientific thinking is that many of the current boundaries to federal lands are lousy, that they don't meet environmental needs or wildlife needs, and they need some fixing," Freemuth said. "I think he (Babbitt) might agree with some of that, but I wouldn't call him a land grabber."

The federal budget deficit may prevent much more money from coning from the fund, though, said Neal Sigmon, staff assistant to the House subcommittee that deals with appropriations to the Department of Interior.

Even though the money in the fund is dedicated to land purchases, spending it still counts against the budget deficit, which President Clinton has pledged to reduce.

"Unless he (Clinton) puts a huge emphasis on it, it's hard for me to imagine that well be using much more," Sigmon said.

"These are the things that are nice to do, and we like to do them, but they're not as crucial as maintaining national parks and things like that."

Andrus has been a strong advocate of using the fund more, especially the component that provides money to states for similar purchases. Scott Peyron, Andrus' press secretary, said Andrus lobbied for more money from the fund when he was in Washington last week.

"He has a certain degree of optimism that the philosophical stance of this administration (may help), but it's tempered by the existence of the deficit," Peyron said.

Craig Gehrke, the Wilderness Society's regional director, said the group realized the deficit would create pressure on Congress to minimize the use of the fund but hoped the philosophical shift would lead to at least some of the projects being funded. "We're hoping to get four or five from the list funded," he said. Clinton seems to favor buying lands but budget deficit may interfere.