US EditionPublic Lands Sell-Off Plan Draws Blowback Among Colorado Democrats
- On June 11, 2025, Tom Schultz, head of the Forest Service, appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee to discuss proposed budget reductions and the requirement for federal land sales in Western states.
- The testimony followed a Senate proposal led by Sen. Mike Lee calling for the sale of 0.5 to 0.75 percent of Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands in 11 Western states to address housing needs.
- Interior Secretary Doug Burgum characterized the parcels in question as largely undeveloped areas adjacent to roadways that lack recreational use, while Democrats such as Sen. John Hickenlooper condemned the process for excluding local participation and for threatening culturally significant landscapes.
- Committee Republicans argue that selling public lands could bring in between $5 billion and $10 billion and generate thousands of new jobs, while critics warn that the proposal threatens the substantial economic benefits derived from outdoor recreational activities worth over a trillion dollars.
- The provision faced bipartisan opposition, with a similar measure removed from the House bill last month, signaling ongoing conflict over public land sales and related budget cuts.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Colorado Newsline
Public lands sell-off plan draws blowback among Colorado Democrats
U.S. House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse, a Lafayette Democrat, speaks at a press conference on protecting public lands May 28, 2025, at the Lake Estes Marina. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)Democratic members of the Colorado congressional delegation criticized a recent proposal by U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, to allow the federal government to sell off more than 2 million acres of public land. The proposal covers 11 Western …
Aspen Times
Public lands in Colorado could be for sale if Senate Republicans’ budget reconciliation proposal passes
The sale of federal public lands in the West is back on the menu as the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources released its portion of the chamber’s budget reconciliation package. The committee released its text on Wednesday night, which includes a proposal that mandates the sale of between 2 million to 3 million acres of U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands, purportedly for housing and other “associated community n…
The Fort Morgan Times
Latest budget draft in Congress would put some Colorado public lands up for sale
Congress has revived a proposal to sell Western public lands to minimize increases to the deficit in the proposed budget bill — and this time, federal land in Colorado would not be left out. A provision in the U.S. Senate’s draft of the national budget bill made public Wednesday would require the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service to sell between 0.5% and 0.75% of the 438 million acres the agencies manage across the West. The upper…
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