House Republicans have passed an amendment permitting the sale of thousands of acres of federal public land in Nevada and Utah, two states where the government owns a significant portion of the land. This initiative is part of a controversial movement aiming to transfer control of federal land to state or private entities.
The House Natural Resources Committee approved this amendment late Tuesday night, even though it was previously stated that federal land sales would not be included in a budget reconciliation bill.
The primary focus of the proposed land sales or exchanges appears to be the development of affordable housing on U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management land near Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, as well as in the rapidly growing southwestern Utah area near St. George.
Representative Celeste Maloy (R-Utah) expressed that many local challenges are linked to being surrounded by federal land. She noted that approximately 10,000 acres, encompassing about sixty targeted parcels in her district, represent less than a third of a percent of all federal land in Utah. Maloy added that the high percentage of federal lands limits local governments’ abilities in economic and transportation development, resource management, and leveraging recreational opportunities.
Maloy’s connection to rancher Cliven Bundy, who was involved in armed standoffs over federal land control in Nevada and Oregon, was highlighted. Democrats and environmentalists have criticized the amendment as a component of a broader far-right agenda to transfer federal public lands.
Tracy Stone-Manning, president of the Wilderness Society, stated that Congress is contemplating selling public lands to finance tax cuts for the wealthy, accusing the administration of lacking balance. Stone-Manning, who led the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) under the Biden administration, noted that the agency oversees about a tenth of all U.S. land.
Environmentalists have also pointed to a leaked Department of Interior plan that discusses granting more land management authority to local entities and “release of federal holdings” for housing development. They argue that this could signify a significant transfer of federal land to states or private entities, such as energy companies.
Conversely, Casey Hammond, who briefly acted as director of the BLM during the Trump administration, contended that these are limited, small-scale transfers with local support. He recalled that during the Trump administration, the idea of a large-scale transfer was set aside, stating that effective federal land management negates the need for state management.
The amendment authorizing federal land sales in Nevada and Utah is still pending a full House vote.
