The federal government may soon begin snapping up huge tracts of private land, thanks to the budget compromise between the White House and Congressional Republicans. That meeting of the minds gave President Clinton up to $855 million to acquire huge tracts of private land to create new federal parks, forests and wildlife refuges -- even though he had only sought $155 million.

• The federal government already owns about 650 million acres -- or almost 30 percent of the entire United States.

• Most of the land is concentrated in 12 western states -- including 250 million acres in Alaska alone.

• Federally-owned lands increased in 46 states between 1964 to 1993 -- decreasing only in Alaska, Idaho, New Mexico and Utah.

• During that period, federal acres that had some restrictions on their use increased from about 51 million to 271 million, according to the General Accounting Office.

Some members of Congress contend the federal government should swap tracts of lands it now owns for those it wants to control, rather than make purchases outright.

Experts warn that when timber, mining and cattle companies find more lands off-limits or restricted, the state and local tax bases are affected. Rural areas are also hurt economically as workers move away.

Source: Laura M. Litvan, "The Great Government Land Rush of '97," Investor's Business Daily, June 11, 1997.