The United States Senate is presently considering one of the greatest existential threats to public lands in recent memory. A proposal from Utah’s Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican in charge of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, directs the sale of between 2 and 3 million acres of public land across western states as part of the ongoing consideration of the enormous federal budget reconciliation bill.
Sen. Lee has long had his sights set on eliminating federal ownership of public lands, and is now attempting to use his new position of power as committee chair to jam through his agenda. His original pitch was that public lands would be sold for affordable housing near western communities, but he’s dropped that charade in the current iteration. Now, the legislation allows for the sale of any parcels of BLM or national forest lands outside of wilderness purportedly for housing of any kind. And it drops the requirement that public lands be sold for fair market value.
Which begs the question, who benefits from buying up public land near booming communities on the cheap? One could imagine there are some well-connected interests acting behind the scenes that would benefit big-time.
Around Durango, public lands available for sale under Lee’s plan would include places like Falls Creek, Horse Gulch and land in the East Animas Valley. It’s easy to grasp the appeal of scooping up some prime real estate along County Road 250 for under market value, or behind Animas Mountain next to Falls Creek subdivision.
Sen. Lee’s public land fire sale at least has the benefit of mobilizing a vast array of opponents. Anyone who cherishes public lands for their scenic beauty, undeveloped wildlife habitat, and for the myriad recreational pursuits like mountain biking, hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, jeeping or backcountry skiing is up in arms over this unprecedented assault on the very fabric of America’s public land heritage.
Hunting and fishing organizations are among the leaders of the opposition. A group letter from 44 hunting, fishing and conservation organizations, including Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and National Wild Turkey Foundation, called out the lack of transparency around the proposal. They noted that sales could be particularly impactful to hunters and anglers in rural areas who rely on public lands for their traditions.
The process for public land sales is sketchy and lacks transparency because it’s not being taken up as a regular piece of legislation that includes hearings and considered debate. Instead, Sen. Lee has tucked the proposal into the massive budget reconciliation bill, a fast-tracked process aimed at preventing careful discussion or requiring consensus. If passed, land sales would start as soon as Labor Day.
Public land sales are not the only questionable thing jammed into the reconciliation bill, seemingly at the behest of unknown benefactors. Another provision allows for industries to pay for approval of their projects, skirting public input. A corporation could pay a 25% surcharge on the cost of an environmental-impact statement, and in exchange get a guarantee for a quick decision the public could not later challenge in court.
Paying off the government for a predetermined decision is usually done under wraps, in the form of bribes. Apparently doing the same thing in the full light of day is intended to make it seem less questionable.
Fortunately, there is still time for the public to make known its displeasure with this extraordinary reversal of America’s conservation heritage. A coalition called Keep It Public, Colorado has a website (www.keepitpublic.co) with information and links to contact elected officials.
Mark Pearson is Executive Director at San Juan Citizens Alliance. Reach him at mark@sanjuancitizens.org.
