Conservatives split over U.S. land transfers to Western states

By Eric M. Johnson

ELLIOTT STATE FOREST, Ore., Aug 20 (Reuters) - Every time

Dean Finnerty sees the locked neon-yellow gate and "No

Trespassing" sign deep in Oregon's Elliott State Forest, he

bristles at the growing movement to transfer federally owned

land to U.S. states.

The 52-year-old conservationist and lifelong political

conservative worries that cash-strapped states that acquire such

land will ultimately be forced to sell to private companies only

to extract oil, gas and timber.

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