Our Public Land for Sale
As you may know, as of June 22nd 2025, a provision in the draft of the “Big Beautiful Bill Act” puts over 250 million + acres of US public land for sale. Utah representative Mike Lee’s proposal to take this land away from the public so that it can be sold to “any interested party” is both disgraceful and nonsensical. Here’s an interactive map showing the truly shocking scale of what this inane provision is proposing.
Mike Lee and his supporters claim the sale of these lands would help alleviate the housing crisis, yet most of the areas on this map would do nothing of the sort. Most of these locations are far from any city center and would be untenable for most working and middle class individuals to call home full time.
As they stand now, these lands offer the American public an opportunity to get off the beaten path and experience nature without crowds, gift shops, or commercialism. They provide opportunities for camping, stargazing, hiking, hunting, fishing, kayaking, rock climbing, photography, animal observation, and any number of other forms of engagement with the natural world, which, by the way, we need more and not less of. No, not all of these places are as picaresque as our National Parks. How could they be? They would already be national parks if they were. However, they are still exceedingly valuable not just because of their beauty, but also because of what they are not: commercialized. They are there for anyone to enjoy without cost. No entry fees. No reservations. No services. Nature. Natural nature.
Below is a small selection of the images I’ve made in some of the places that will be put up for sale.
It is important for these places to exist in our country.
The reality of the sale of these lands would result in deforestation and destruction of natural resources, provide little if any affordable housing, remove 340 million people’s access to a SIGNIFICANT portion of the natural world available in our country, and all while further sectioning off the more attractive portions of this land to private development and gated communities for the wealthy.
These lands belong to all of us. They should be kept by all of us. I have made some of my best work on public lands. Some of the most meaningful experiences of my life have been had on public lands. I can’t imagine these places being walled off, mined, paved over, or otherwise destroyed. Places people can escape to in this country to get away from the many stresses of modern society, including large crowds, are assets. They should absolutely be protected, as was the original intent.
I urge you to make noise and do anything you can to prevent the sale of our natural resources. It’s BLM and National Forest land now. Next will be wilderness. Then national monuments. Then national parks. Contact your congressman via the Outdoor Alliance tool here. Some senators have already come out against this provision amid public push back. It’s working, but we need more.
