BOISE, ID – Efforts to sell off millions of acres of public land were defeated earlier this year but Westerners in states like Idaho are watching for similar efforts in the future.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, attempted to including language in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which would have allowed the sale of up to 3.3 million acres of public land. However, opposition to the proposal was strong, including dissent from three of Idaho’s four members of Congress.
Ryan McGoldrick, program director for Conservation Voters for Idaho, said residents of the state value public lands, whether they’re ranchers with grazing leases, hunters or campers.
“It’s a uniting thing for all Idahoans,” McGoldrick contended. “They love our public lands and they want to be able to spend time on them, and the idea of selling those off to private investors or blocking access is just completely antithetical to our way of life and our values.”
Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, along with Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, support the “Public Lands in Public Hands Act” to protect them from being sold. Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, does not support the legislation.
After Lee’s attempt to include language allowing the sale of public lands was defeated in Congress, a poll found 96% of Idahoans support keeping public lands in the hands of all Americans.
McGoldrick pointed out there have been efforts to transfer public lands from the federal government to state governments. However, he noted most of the land transferred to Idaho in its history has eventually been handed over to private owners.
“The state can’t afford the wildfire response, we can’t afford the management, we can’t afford the PILT (payment in lieu of tax) payments, we can’t afford to keep grazing leases affordable,” McGoldrick outlined. “That needs to stay in the control of our federal agencies.”
McGoldrick expects Congress to try to pass legislation allowing the sale of public lands again but he thinks lawmakers should do just the opposite.
“If we care about our public lands, it’s not just about protecting them, it’s about actually making an investment so we can maintain access and maintain those protections for the lands we love,” McGoldrick emphasized.
