(November 5, 2007)--State Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson says the National Park Service should get 90 days to meet or exceed the winning bid to buy the Christmas Mountains in West Texas.

The state's School Land Board is set to award the 9,300-acre property to a bidder Tuesday.

But Patterson says both bidders in Tuesday’s auction have agreed to let the feds match their bids.

If they fail to do so, the tract will go to the winning bidder.

The National Park Service has told the Texas General Land Office that it may be interested in acquiring the tract, located northwest of Big Bend National Park.

The park service asked that the sale be postponed until it had time to finish evaluating the property.

The sale was postponed earlier this fall after a technical glitch with the bidding.

"To paraphrase John Lennon, I say we 'Give Parks a Chance,'" Patterson said.

"If the National Park Service can conserve this land better and provide better public access than a private conservation buyer, now is its chance to prove it."

"I want to get the facts on the table," Patterson said. "If we are all committed to conservation of the Christmas Mountains then we should be able to sit and discuss how best to achieve this goal."

A sticking point for the Park Service is that hunting must continue to be allowed on the property.

Patterson said Monday the NPS can seek congressional authority to allow guns on the tract.

"Hunting is still a part of this deal," Patterson said.

"Hunting is allowed in the original gift deed, and will be a part of any land management plan for Christmas Mountains."

Click Here For General Land Office Web Site

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