EDIT, 3:20 p.m. MDT, Tuesday, June 25th: Outdoor Alliance obtained the new proposal now introduced by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and provided a preliminary analysis one hour after this news was published. As expected, the proposal puts close-to-home trails at risk. The proposal calls for the mandatory sale of 0.25-0.5% of BLM land, estimated to be up to 1.2 million acres. It does not define “population center.” If based on the U.S. Census definitions, that could include towns as small as 2,500 people. According to Outdoor Alliance, “That narrower geographic focus means the pool of eligible land is much smaller—making it more likely that cherished recreation areas near communities will be targeted for sale.” IMBA encourages advocates to contact their representatives to oppose this proposal.

Late on Monday, June 23rd, the proposal to sell up to 3.3 million acres of public lands, which authorized 258 million acres as eligible for sale, was removed from the Senate’s budget reconciliation bill.

Hundreds of thousands of outdoor advocates including dedicated mountain bikers spoke up alongside hikers, hunters, anglers, motorized users, and conservationists to defend public lands. Like last month’s successful grassroots effort to stop public land sales in the House, the outdoor community showed up in force to successfully protect public lands by pressing lawmakers to act. In the past week multiple Senators on both sides of the aisle publicly opposed the Senate proposal.

“Advocates from every corner of the outdoor community are united in protecting our public lands. Our collective, bipartisan voice is loud and clear: these public land sales are as unpopular as they are unprecedented. From hunters to hikers, mountain bikers to motorized users; IMBA thanks every advocate in this effort. We’re stronger together. Let’s keep it up,” said David Wiens, Executive Director of the International Mountain Bicycling Association.

Thank Your Lawmaker

The land sales were removed on a technicality by the Senate parliamentarian, meaning that this dangerous proposal is out of the budget bill for now. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) intends to revise the proposal.

IMBA and partners are working to acquire potential new language to fully analyze a proposal. Potential revisions include only selling Bureau of Land Management land within five miles of population centers. These spaces are crucial for close-to-home trails many western communities depend on for health, wellbeing, and economic activity. Trails like Lunch Loops in Grand Junction, CO or trails surrounding Moab, UT could still be at risk depending on what protections a proposal would include for existing recreation and how a proposal defines a population center. Moreover, any proposal within reconciliation would not follow the established agency-led public land disposal process which includes opportunities for public engagement and directs sale proceeds to the Federal Land Disposal Account.

“IMBA will continue to oppose these public land sale proposals, which do not follow the established public process. Any proposed sale should protect recreation and should include the opportunity for public review and public comment,” said Todd Keller, Director of Government Affairs at the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA). “Given recent investments in policies that support mountain biking, such as the Biking on Long Distance Trails Act and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act, these proposals threaten not only our trails but the mountain bike community’s milestone accomplishments.” 

Thank you for raising your voice. This community continues to show that when public lands are under threat we are ready to defend these special places.