Protect our Public Lands

Republicans in Congress are again pushing to sell off millions of acres of public land as part of the GOP’s tax cut and spending bill.

A draft budget from the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, led by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), calls for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service to sell between two and three million acres over the next five years. Land in every western state except Montana would be eligible for sale under the proposal. There has been zero public input, and loophole that could allow for more expansive and exclusive development. The bill also exempts from sale, including “just for show” categories, such as national parks, that are not even managed by the U.S. Forest Service or BLM. But well-loved recreation spots, popular areas for hunting and fishing, prime wildlife habitat, and even sacred or historic sites could be privatized if the bill becomes law. 

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