Montgomery, AL – A bill is being introduced in the Alabama Legislature to extend a program to preserve land for public use - such as hunting, fishing and bird watching.
Republican state Rep. Randy Davis of Daphne said he was introducing a bill Tuesday to extend the Forever Wild program that is scheduled to expire in 2012.
The program sets aside 10 percent of the investment income from the state's oil and gas trust fund - or about $12 million a year - to buy or lease land that is deemed environmentally significant. The land is then preserved for public use.
A coalition that includes environmentalists, hunters, hikers and business groups has formed to encourage the Legislature to continue Forever Wild.
The Legislature began its 2011 regular session Tuesday.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)