NEVADA – The Nevada Conservation League is denouncing a new Senate proposal led by Utah Sen. Mike Lee to sell off up to 3.3 million acres of public lands across the West, including more than half a million acres in Nevada.
While the House version of the federal budget package walked back earlier land sell-off provisions in the face of massive bipartisan opposition, Sen. Lee has doubled down with an even more dangerous plan — and it all started with Congressman Mark Amodei.
Sen. Lee’s proposal would allow the Interior Department to identify and sell off massive tracts of Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands across eleven Western states.
In Nevada, that could mean handing over some of our most cherished open spaces to wealthy developers and out-of-state interests. All while everyday Nevadans, Tribes, conservationists, and outdoor advocates are locked out of the conversation.
“This is what happens when you open the door to backroom land deals,” said Kristee Watson, executive director of the Nevada Conservation League. “Mark Amodei lit the match, and now extremists in the Senate are fueling the fire, pushing a reckless sell-off of our public lands without public input or regard for the consequences. These lands are not “disposable” — they fuel Nevada’s $8.1 billion outdoor economy, support thousands of jobs, and provide the open spaces that make our state special. This isn’t about trying to solve the housing crisis, it’s about greed. Politicians in DC are once again trying to sell out Nevadans and put our public lands on the auction block to fund handouts for their billionaire buddies. We urge the Senate to reject this dangerous amendment and stand with Nevadans, not with out-of-state developers and wealthy interests.”