Watt unveils plan to open 1 billion protected acres

Interior Secretary James Watt saidthe Reagan administration plans to propose opening 1 billion acres of protected federal land for industrial use in the next five years.

Mr. Watt said the proposal calls for 200 blocks of land, each 1 million acres in size, to be opened annually for five years. ''We believe that the wealth of the country comes from the land, and we've got to take care of it - and that takes capital investment,'' he said.

The proposal will likely draw sharp criticism from environmental groups.