Report: Public lands support 15,000 jobs
Sawtooth Mountains
Public lands, recreation, tourism and energy development contributed $1.54 billion to Idaho’s economy last year.
That’s according to a report out this week from the U.S. Interior Department. The department manages 12 million acres of public land in Idaho, or nearly a quarter of the state. The agency also manages energy and mineral development on that public land, administers grants and payments to rural timber producing counties, and oversees mine reclamation. Emilie Ritter Saunders/StateImpact Idaho