Senate Spending Package Proposes Selling Off 3.3 Million Acres of Public Land
The Senate has proposed the most sweeping and indiscriminate public land sell off we have ever seen—more than 3 million acres of land managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM). That’s roughly four times the size of Rhode Island.
These proposals are part of the Senate’s version of a massive spending package—officially dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”—currently advancing through the reconciliation process. The reconciliation process allows Congress to pass legislation with only a simple majority in the Senate, bypassing the typical 60-vote threshold and limiting opportunities for public debate.
Just weeks ago, the outdoor community mobilized to successfully remove 500,000 acres of public land sell offs from the House’s version of the same bill. Now, the Senate is pushing an even more extreme version.
The new language requires selling off at least 0.5%—and up to 0.75%—of all Forest Service and BLM lands, totaling more than 3.3 million acres. And unlike past proposals, which largely limited sales to lands already identified for disposal, the Senate’s bill puts any multiple-use Forest Service or BLM land on the table, including places vital for outdoor recreation. There are virtually no safeguards on what land can be sold or for what purpose.
While the bill gestures toward addressing housing needs, the vague language leaves the door wide open for sales to wealthy private interests looking to expand their holdings, and even expressly contemplates this possibility in some sections.
“This package is truly the gravest threat to public lands we have ever seen moving through Congress,” said Louis Geltman, VP of Policy and Government Affairs at Outdoor Alliance. “Beyond the flagrant assault on public lands, it would be hard to imagine a ‘process’ more ripe for abuse and cronyism than what is spec’d out here. The outdoor community is categorically opposed to wholesale land sales.”
The threats don’t stop there. The Senate bill:
Prioritizes oil, gas, and timber development on public lands, with fewer protections for recreation, wildlife, and climate.
Weakens National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews and allows developers to pay to skip judicial review and public input.
Includes long-term timber contracts that amount to de facto privatization of public forests.
The outdoor community is a hugely important voice in preventing some of the worst attacks on public lands. It’s time to speak up to your Senators, and the clock is ticking. Take a minute to write—or better yet, call—your lawmakers today. If you take action on just one thing this year—or maybe ever—please make it this.