Idaho officials are pitching a north-central Idaho land exchange involving a private timber company and the U.S. Forest Service that could result in Idaho receiving deed to some federal lands.
The proposal calls for Western Pacific Timber to deed 38,000 acres in the Upper Lochsa Basin to the U.S. Forest Service. The Forest Service would then deed selected federal lands to Idaho to be overseen by the Idaho Land Board.
The value of the lands received by Idaho would equal the value of the lands the Forest Service receives from the timber company. Idaho would pay Western Pacific Timber an amount equal to the value of the lands the company deeds to the Forest Service.
Idaho would use money from the recent sales of commercial and residential properties. (AP)
