He did not mention that this program of land swaps with developers has been going on, in a quiet way, since the Reagan administration. The debate is a thorny one. On the one hand, environmentalists see an absolute value in slowing the pace of environmental destruction and preserving habitats. In the past, the federal government simply purchased the land it wanted to save. A federal fund exists, earmarked for the acquisition of land for conservation purposes.
Swaps are much easier.
The law requires Congressional approval for any federal cash outlay. Swaps, on the other hand, can be brokered through state authorities. In one such deal, the Phelps Dodge Corporation sought 3,758 acres of federal land adjoining its southern Arizona copper mine. Land speculators pocket the difference. Not enough, though.