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yesterday

Senate Bill Advances Plan to Sell Over 2 Million Acres of Western Public Lands

The proposal directs federal agencies to offer millions of acres of underutilized land for sale to fund housing.

FILE - A view of the suburbs of Las Vegas from atop the Stratosphere tower looking west down Sahara Ave., towards the Spring Mountains, Feb. 9, 2005. (AP Photo/Joe Cavaretta, File)
FILE - Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, speaks during the confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
Sen. Mike Lee walks through the Senate Reception Room in the U.S. Capitol on December 17, 2024.
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Overview

  • The Senate’s reconciliation bill includes a requirement for Interior and Agriculture secretaries to sell 2.2 to 3.3 million acres of Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service land across 11 Western states.
  • The proposal excludes national parks, monuments and lands with existing mining or grazing rights, focusing on isolated parcels deemed better suited for development.
  • Revenue from land sales will be deposited into the U.S. Treasury, with 5% allocated to local governments for housing projects and another 5% for maintenance of remaining public lands.
  • Utah Gov. Spencer Cox endorsed the plan’s potential to address housing shortages, while Rep. Ryan Zinke and conservation groups warn of irreversible ecological damage.
  • The legislation also proposes expanded gas, coal, geothermal and timber leasing on public lands, drawing criticism from Democrats and environmental advocates.