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Public Land Measures Placed In Defense Bill

Wilderness in New Mexico and other western states and a program for streamlining oil and gas permitting would be expanded as part of a $585 million defense bill crafted by House and Senate negotiators.

Lawmakers managed to squeeze the energy and public land proposals into the bill following weeks of negotiation. Final action is expected before the end of the year.

A bipartisan contingent of lawmakers is touting the legislation, but critics say the bill shouldn't be used as a bargaining chip to get the land packages through Congress.

The must-pass measure also calls for transferring management of a 140-square-mile national preserve in northern New Mexico to the National Park Service and for a land swap in Arizona that would clear the way for North America's largest copper mine.

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