Senator Mike Lee Withdraws Public Land Sell Off Provision In the One Big Beautiful Bill
Avi Ame Kwa National Monument Will Become Nevada’s 4th National Monument
July 3, 2025
Public lands ‘fire sale’ plan fuels criticism from Nevada
July 7, 2025Press Release
NEVADA- NEVADA- Senator Mike Lee has withdrawn his third version of his attempt to sell up to 1.2 million acres of public lands. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee accepted his original proposal to sell up to 2.5 million acres of Bureau of Land Management and United States Forest Service Land within eleven western states. Due to the Byrd Rule, Senator Lee’s first proposal was rejected. Even after a strong showing of opposition from the outdoor recreation community, Senator Lee re-introduced a proposal to sell 1.2 million acres. However, after another large outcry from the outdoor community, businesses and his colleagues, Senator Lee withdrew his public lands proposal entirely.
According to Senator Lee, the reason behind the sale is to address the affordable housing crisis that many western states are facing due to rapid human population growth throughout the west. However, in the latest polling of Nevadans, 90% of Nevadans take advantage of the public lands near them, and a majority rate conservation and recreation aspects of national public lands as more important than other economic uses such as housing and warehouse developments. In 2023, Nevada’s outdoor recreation industry accounted for $8.1 billion in value-added (GDP) annually, ranking our state 10th in the nation. “For the third time in two months, public lands users from all corners have told decision makers in Washington D.C. that our public lands are not for sale. I have been working in conservation policy for the last 10 years, and I have never seen the outdoor recreation community as united as this,” said Russell Kuhlman, executive director of the Nevada Wildlife Federation. “Now that we can finally close the chapter of trying to sell public lands solely for the U.S. Treasury, we can get back to work on using the appropriate process to identify the best use of our public lands. The process that includes public engagement and funding to improve our public lands in Nevada.”
Russell Kuhlman
(775) 629-2341
kuhlman@nvwf.org
June 28,2025
For the third time in two months, public lands users from all corners have told decision makers in Washington D.C. that our public lands are not for sale. I have been working in conservation policy for the last 10 years, and I have never seen the outdoor recreation community as united as this,” said Russell Kuhlman, executive director of the Nevada Wildlife Federation. “Now that we can finally close the chapter of trying to sell public lands solely for the U.S. Treasury, we can get back to work on using the appropriate process to identify the best use of our public lands. The process that includes public engagement and funding to improve our public lands in Nevada.