RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) — Washington state wants to buy a ranch that stretches about 22 square miles near Richland in eastern Washington.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife plans to make an offer when the McWhorter ranch goes on sale June 1.
The Tri-City Herald says (http://bit.ly/M9NPv7 ) the state is interested in the property because it’s a chance to save a large swath of classic shrub steppe and to provide a recreation area for the Tri-City area.
The ranch was owned by R.J. McWhorter of Prosser his death in 2007.
The Legislature in 2011 approved $1.8 million toward purchasing the land. However, the state estimates it’ll need about $7 million to buy it.
