Senate budget bill puts local public lands at risk

Cherished areas in the San Juans are among BLM and Forest Service lands that may be up for sale

By Sophie Stuber, Telluride Daily Planet

The San Juans are known for their hiking and biking trails, and many visitors and locals alike choose Telluride because of its exceptional access to nature and outdoor recreation opportunities. But the latest variation of President Trump’s budget bill could put some of the most beloved public lands up for sale.

Senate Republicans brought back a proposal last week to sell millions of acres of public lands under the tax and spending bill. The new plan would mandate the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service to select and sell somewhere between 2.2 million and 3.3 million acres of public lands to construct housing in 11 western states, including Colorado. The bill would also prioritize oil, gas and timber interests on public lands.

Locally, some of the most cherished areas in the San Juans, including Ice Lake Basin, Grant/Swamp Pass and the the Jud Wiebe Trail area, are eligible for sale — as well as much of Telluride Ski Resort terrain, since the current legislation does not exclude special use permits for ski areas. As Forest Service lands, popular backcountry skiing areas near Ophir could also be up for sale.

“There are so many lands around Telluride that are in the map, so it's a serious threat for sure, and we’re trying to use all the avenues we can to make sure that it doesn't happen and that the Senate comes to a reasonable conclusion,” Sheep Mountain Alliance Program Director Ruthie Boyd told the Daily Planet.

The Senate proposal was part of the draft legislation released by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last week, which seeks to earn $10 billion from land sales for housing in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming over five years — exempting national parks, national monuments and designated wilderness areas.

Based on these criteria, more than 250 million acres of public lands are eligible for sale to “any interested party.” In Colorado, over 14.35 million acres could be included in these sales. The current Senate amendment caps land sell offs at 0.75% of BLM and Forest Service land — around 3 million acres total.

The Trump administration has also proposed removing or decreasing multiple national monuments, which could further open up public lands.

The sale of any of these public lands could have long term — if not permanent — impacts on the local community and environment.

“It's definitely a moment where the conservation community is all boots on the ground. Once we sell these lands, we can't get them back, and that is a devastating loss,” Boyd said.

Although sold public lands are expected to be used for housing, there is no provision mandating that it be deed-restricted or affordable housing. The latest iteration of the amendment also removed clauses that encouraged first selling isolated land tracts as well as not allowing sales for “less than fair market value.”

Senator Mike Lee, the Utah Republican who heads the committee, claimed that this provision would transform “federal liabilities into taxpayer value, while making housing more affordable for hardworking American families.”

But environmental and outdoor groups oppose the proposal, saying that it puts valuable public lands at risk that many people rely on for hiking, running, biking, hunting and fishing.

“The Telluride Mountain Club believes public lands must remain public. Selling off even so-called ‘underused’ parcels threatens recreation access, rural economies and the outdoor way of life that defines communities like ours. These lands belong to everyone and are meant for us all to enjoy,” Sophie Fabrizio, director of Telluride Mountain Club, told the Daily Planet.

Public lands are essential for hunting and fishing, as most permitted activity is done on these lands. The San Juans are the headwaters of key streams and rivers and provide clean water for both humans and fish alike.

“Public lands are the whole core of where we can go and enjoy our outdoor activities — our hunting and fishing,” Craig Grother, Colorado board member for Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) told the Daily Planet. Grother also previously worked for the Forest Service for 33 years, including 20 years for the Norwood and Ouray Ranger Districts.

Hunting and fishing licenses generated about $179 million, 55% of Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s annual revenue in 2023.

“Industry-wise, hunting and fishing does provide millions just in the state of Colorado,” Grother noted.

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers has been working with San Miguel County and several other counties in Colorado, as well as the state legislature, to draft resolutions opposing the wholesale sale or transfer of public lands.

“We're obviously wanting to keep public lands and have them stay public. It's our inheritance from visionaries like Teddy Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot,” Grother said. “Whether we're citizens or visitors, you don't need permission to get out there.”

The organization is also campaigning at a national level.

“Right now, the pressure is on the Senate, but prior to that, it was on the House side. So we've had an action alert out for a long time, so we've been flooding them with the phone calls and letters in opposition,” Grother said, who noted that BHA had successful conversations earlier with Rep. Jeff Hurd when the budget bill was going through the House.

“Prior to the House bill being passed, we got the opportunity to meet with Jeff Hurd and express our concern with what was going on. And at that point in time, he voted against it,” Grother said.

The Senate plans to vote on the bill before July 4. Boyd urged people to contact their representatives, especially in states with Republican senators considering voting for the Senate resolution.

“In Colorado, our senators are super supportive of public lands, and they have been very vocally outspoken against all of these amendments on public lands, which is really amazing,” Boyd said. “Contacting representatives is a great place to start, especially people in states in the West who do have Republican senators.”

Beyond public comments and phone calls, Boyd also recommended keeping the conversation going with friends, family and colleagues about public lands.

“The other important thing people can do is just talk about it. Make a stir. Be frustrated by it, and express that in as many ways as possible,” she said.

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