1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

As a citizen of the United States, I strongly oppose the amendment reintroduced by Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) that would authorize the sale of up to 3.3 million acres of U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land across 11 Western states. This proposal—revived after being removed from the “Big Beautiful Bill” (H.R. 1) due to overwhelming public opposition—threatens the integrity, accessibility, and ecological health of our nation’s public lands. Public lands are not surplus property. They are a legacy. This amendment would: Authorize the sale of 0.5% to 0.75% of BLM and Forest Service lands—up to 3.3 million acres—with no requirement for public input. Mandate that federal agencies identify and list lands for sale based on proximity to existing development, placing prime recreation areas, wildlife habitat, and watershed lands at risk. Permanently transfer public land into private hands for roads, housing, or commercial use—with no guarantee of affordable housing or public benefit. While the amendment excludes national parks and monuments, it opens the door to a dangerous precedent: treating public land as a financial asset to be liquidated instead of a shared resource to be protected for future generations. We recognize the need for thoughtful housing solutions—but public land sales are not a housing plan. Experts and local leaders—including Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), conservation organizations, and outdoor advocates—have rightly called this amendment a “fire sale.” It sacrifices long-term environmental and recreational value for short-term political gain. Public lands fuel rural economies, provide critical ecosystem services, and offer irreplaceable spaces for recreation, solitude, and cultural connection. Once sold and developed, these places are gone forever. We call on you, our elected representatives, to: Reject Senator Lee’s public land sale amendment in any form. Support legislation that strengthens protections for BLM and Forest Service lands, not weakens them. Prioritize solutions to housing and infrastructure needs that respect community input, environmental integrity, and the public’s right to access and enjoy public land.