• House Republicans approved an amendment authorizing the sale of federal lands in Nevada and Utah, primarily for affordable housing and economic development.
• The amendment is part of a larger Republican tax cut package and passed through the House Natural Resources Committee.
• Democrats and environmental groups are criticizing the amendment, raising concerns about privatization, environmental impacts, and loss of public access.

The House Natural Resources Committee has approved an amendment to a Republican tax cut package that would authorize the sale of thousands of acres of federal public lands in Nevada and Utah. The proposed land sales aim to address affordable housing shortages and promote economic development in these states. However, the move has ignited strong opposition from Democrats and environmental organizations, who view it as a potential betrayal of public trust that could lead to increased resource extraction, environmental degradation, and reduced public access to these lands. The amendment still needs to pass a full House vote.

• What: An amendment authorizing the sale of federal lands in Nevada and Utah was approved by the House Natural Resources Committee as part of a Republican tax cut package. The sales aim to support affordable housing and local economic development.
• Who: Key individuals include Reps. Mark Amodei (R-NV), Celeste Maloy (R-UT), Jeff Hurd (R-CO), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Ryan Zinke (R-MT), Tracy Stone-Manning (President of the Wilderness Society), Casey Hammond (former BLM director), Doug Burgum (Interior Secretary) and Scott Turner (Housing and Urban Development Secretary). Organizations involved include the House Natural Resources Committee, BLM, U.S. Forest Service, Wilderness Society, Sierra Club, and Center for American Progress.
• When: The amendment was approved by the House Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday/early Wednesday (May 7, 2025). House Speaker Mike Johnson aims to pass the package by Memorial Day.
• Where: The lands targeted for sale are located in Nevada and Utah, specifically outside Las Vegas and Reno in Nevada, and around St. George, Utah. The issue has national implications due to the scale of federal land ownership.

The approval of this amendment highlights the ongoing debate over the management and use of federal lands in the Western United States. Republicans frame the land sales as a way to address affordable housing shortages and boost local economies by increasing the tax base. The potential for increased development and resource extraction raises concerns about environmental impacts and the loss of public access. The differing opinions between political parties and environmental groups demonstrate the complexities and competing interests surrounding federal land management.

"Many of the difficulties we face at a local level are of course related to the fact that the county is surrounded by federal land."

"Congress is considering selling off our public lands to pay for tax cuts to the wealthy. What we're seeing from this administration is no balance at all."

"I prefer the management scheme and I give as an example a hotel. If you don’t like the management of a hotel, don’t sell the hotel; change the management."

"Public lands shouldn’t have a price tag on them. But (President) Donald Trump and his allies in Congress are working like mad to hand over our public lands to billionaires and corporate polluters to drill, mine and log with the bare minimum oversight or accountability."

The House Natural Resources Committee's approval of the amendment authorizing land sales in Nevada and Utah marks a significant step in the ongoing debate over federal land management. While proponents argue that the sales will address housing shortages and spur economic growth, critics fear environmental degradation and reduced public access. The amendment now faces a full House vote, where its fate remains uncertain amidst strong opposition and differing viewpoints.