Senate GOP Budget Bill Expected to Sell Millions of Western Public Lands

A Republican-led proposal included in the Senate's budget reconciliation package aims to sell between 2 million and 3 million acres of federal public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management across the Western U.S., excluding Montana. The sales target lands in nearly every Western state, including significant areas in Colorado, Idaho, California, Nevada, and Utah, with parcels near popular recreational and natural sites such as Yosemite, Big Sur, and Colorado's Front Range potentially affected. Proponents, including Utah Senator Mike Lee, argue the sales would generate up to $10 billion for the federal government and support housing and local development, although the bill lacks requirements for affordable housing. Critics, including conservationists, local leaders, and Democratic lawmakers, warn that selling public lands risks losing public access, harming local economies dependent on recreation and tourism, and transferring lands to private ownership dominated by wealthy buyers. The proposal exempts national parks, monuments, and designated wilderness areas but includes millions of acres of general public lands, raising concerns about environmental impacts and community rights. The debate reflects a broader conflict over balancing budget priorities, tax cuts, and conservation of public lands.