Congressional rule would reverse policy that makes it easier to sell off public lands

A proposed package of rules for the 116th Congress reverses a policy from the previous Congress that, according to a House Rules Committee statement, permitted the nation’s public lands to be “given away for free without acknowledging the budgetary impact.” 

Democrats in the House of Representatives proposed changing that rule, which is likely to be adopted Thursday.

Statement from Drew McConville, Senior Managing Director, The Wilderness Society.

“Americans who appreciate our great outdoor heritage were outraged when Republicans voted on the very first day of the 115th Congress in 2017 to rig the system to make it easier to sell off national public lands. 

"We applaud Speaker-designate Pelosi and other leaders for moving quickly to reverse the anti-conservation policies of the previous Congress.  Let’s all hope this marks the start of a Congress that will protect, not sell off, our priceless public lands and waters.”

Background

On January 3, 2017, the House voted along party lines to change the way it accounts for selling off public lands, suggesting public lands have no value to the American people.  That 2017 rule said, in effect, that giving away national parks, forests and other public lands has no dollar impact on the federal budget, which would make it easy for Congress to give away national lands that belong to all Americans.  Soon after, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) introduced a bill, H.R. 621, to sell off public land in 10 western states, but he withdrew the bill in February after protests and complaints from voters throughout the West.

The oil and gas industry would benefit from public lands being turned over to states, which do not have to follow many national environmental laws or requirements for public scrutiny. States have a long track record of selling state lands to private interests.  Collectively, western states have sold and privatized 31 million acres of state lands, an area roughly the size of Louisiana. 

CONTACTS:

Michael Reinemer, Michael_reinemer@tws.org, (202) 429-3949

The Wilderness Society is the leading conservation organization working to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places. Founded in 1935, and now with more than one million members and supporters, The Wilderness Society has led the effort to permanently protect 109 million acres of wilderness and to ensure sound management of our shared national lands. Visit www.wilderness.org.