The question"How did they become federal lands if they were part of territories that became states?" is misleading. They were already federal lands and had been since acquired by the federal government through various treaties. If there was a bonafide duty to dispose of lands it would be enforceable in court and would have been years ago. The simple fact is no court has ever recognized that duty. I have read the equal footing arguments and as far as I am aware no court has held them to apply to land disposal either. As a matter of policy I agree the lands should be turned over to the states and I personally believe they should then be sold into private ownership. There is no evidence anywhere that the Eastern states have an advantage because the State controls the land . The only evidence is they have an advantage because the land is held by private landowners.