The text is a detailed exploration of the concept of Federal Land in the United States. It starts by explaining that just under one third of land in the United States is federal, and this percentage varies greatly across states. The narrator then delves into the history of how the United States expanded its territory, leading to the current distribution of federal land.
The narrator explains that the federal government has been gradually disposing of its land to new states and settlers, often through land races where plots of land were drawn and given to the first family to reach them. The narrator also mentions that the railroad companies were given land on either side of any track they could build.
The narrator then discusses the current use of federal land. Most of it falls under the control of the President, who reports to a dozen secretaries, three of whom run five departments: the Department of Defense, the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management.
The narrator explains that private citizens cannot buy property on federal land, and the Department of Defense can ignore all of a state’s laws about housing or health codes when building housing on federal land. The narrator also mentions that the Department of Defense runs military bases, nuclear silos, and all the toys of war, and that the National Park Service manages iconic landscapes like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone.
The narrator then discusses the Fish and Wildlife Service, which is responsible for animal conservation and keeping land for America's species under her aegis, not to be developed. The Forest Service is responsible for balancing extraction with maintenance of national forests, which are leased for logging and grazing. The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for a wide range of tasks, from resolving cow disputes to leasing land for mining and building parks.
The narrator concludes by explaining that while federal land may be in a state, it is not of the state. This leads to a political divide between states that have a lot of federal land and those that don't.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The United States of America includes Hawaii and Alaska.
2. Just under one third of land in the United States is federal.
3. The percentage of federal land varies by state, with eastern states having less than 1% and western states having more.
4. Five western states control less than half of the land within their borders.
5. The Louisiana Purchase, Mexican Cession, and Manifest Destiny led to the expansion of the United States.
6. The federal government gave away around 10% of the land in the US for free to encourage settlement in the west.
7. Railroad companies were given land on either side of their tracks.
8. By the 1900s, most states were established, and the federal government stopped giving away land.
9. The federal government now administers almost 2,000 separate bureaucracies of land.
10. The Department of Defense, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management control 97% of federal land.
11. The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for resolving cow disputes, leasing land for mining, building parks, and preserving coastal waters.
12. Federal land can be used for conservation, recreation, and extraction.
13. The National Park Service manages iconic national parks like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone.
14. The Forest Service manages national forests, which are often leased for logging and grazing.
15. The Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for animal conservation.
16. Federal land belongs to the federal government, not the states.
17. The federal government can use federal land for various purposes, including military bases and nuclear testing.
18. Private citizens cannot buy property on federal land.
19. States cannot control federal land within their borders, including enforcing laws or collecting taxes.
20. The federal government provides payment in lieu of taxes to states with a lot of federal land.
21. There is a big political divide between states with a lot of federal land and those without.