…Protecting public lands can drive employment and income growth. A recent study by Headwaters Economics found that for every 10,000 acres of protected federal land within a rural county’s borders, that county enjoys, on average, an additional $436 in per-capita income.
"The West is outpacing the rest of the country in terms of income growth, employment growth. We have an enviable quality of life," said Ray Rasker, executive director of the Montana-based Headwaters. "A lot of CEOs use this as a way to recruit talent. It’s an advantage to live in the West. Employers are promoting these protected lands as an economic asset."…