1. United States
2. S.D.
3. Letter

The sale of federal public lands in Nevada and Utah for affordable housing and other development is concerning. Public lands belong to all Americans and should be preserved for the benefit of current and future generations. Facilitating affordable housing is important, but there are better solutions than privatizing cherished natural areas that belong to the people. These federal lands provide vital habitat for wildlife, opportunities for outdoor recreation, and preserve our shared natural heritage. Once sold off, they may be lost forever. There is a long history of public lands being gradually chipped away through private interests and development pressures. We must resist this incremental erosion of our public lands and find more sustainable solutions. Rather than selling off public lands, efforts should focus on developing housing closer to existing communities, revitalizing urban areas, and incentivizing denser housing models. Federal policies should support sustainable community planning that protects open spaces while meeting housing needs. Public-private partnerships could spur affordable housing construction on already disturbed private and municipal lands. I urge you to oppose any measures that would enable the privatization of federal public lands in Nevada, Utah or elsewhere. These national treasures were set aside for good reason - to safeguard our natural landscapes and outdoor traditions for all citizens to enjoy. Affordable housing is essential, but not at the expense of our irreplaceable public lands.