Action Alert: The Wasatch is Not for Sale

Contact our Senators and tell them:

• Public lands are not for sale. They are the cornerstone of our economies and communities.
• Remove land sell-offs from the reconciliation package.
• Protect public feedback and transparency in public land management.

Senator Mike Lee
Send a message: https://www.lee.senate.gov/contact
Call his Salt Lake office: 801-524-5933
Call his DC office: 202-224-5444

Senator John Curtis
Send a message: https://www.curtis.senate.gov/share-your-opinion/
Call his DC office: 202-224-5251
Call his Salt Lake office: 801-524-43

The U.S. Senate is actively considering a massive public land sell-off— with much of our backcountry terrain in the Wasatch is at risk. We need your voice now.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (whose chairman is UT Senator Mike Lee) has proposed language in the reconciliation spending package that would force the sale of up to 3.3 million acres of public land. The House Committee removed a similar proposal in their bill thanks to overwhelming public pressure. Unfortunately the Senate has added land sell-offs back in. The Senate’s bill would force the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to sell off at least 0.5%—and potentially up to 0.75%—of all National Forest and BLM lands. Unlike previous proposals that focused on lands already identified for disposal, this bill puts nearly any multiple-use Forest Service or BLM land up for sale, including areas that are critical for outdoor recreation and public access.

The Central Wasatch backcountry—a treasured mix of Forest Service and private lands—is no exception. WBA was shocked by the scope of these potential Forest Service land sell-offs in the Central Wasatch and beyond. Not only are we deeply concerned about the loss of cherished landscapes, but also about what this means for access: if swaths of public land are privatized, it could become even harder to reach and enjoy the remaining public lands. This bill risks shrinking and fragmenting our existing backcountry as well as creating new barriers to access. Additionally, it could make it easier for developers to build a ski lift in Grizzly Gulch or the gondola in Little Cottonwood. 

Worse yet, the bill lets developers pay to fast-track environmental NEPA reviews, bypassing oversight and silencing local voices. NEPA is often the only way communities learn about and influence projects that affect their favorite recreation zones. While we think the NEPA process could be improved, gutting it isn’t the answer. If it weren’t for NEPA, we would likely already have a gondola going up Little Cottonwood Canyon. 

This bill is not a minor adjustment—it’s a wholesale threat to the integrity of America’s public lands and a red line for Wasatch Backcountry Alliance and the community we represent.

At Risk Area Map

You may have seen maps circulating from The Wilderness Society showing the potential scale of these land sales. Our colleagues at Outdoor Alliance released updated maps based on new bill text that was just released, which adds a few loose guidelines for what lands could receive “priority consideration” for sale and shows that it is even worse than we thought. While not required, lands that meet these criteria are more likely to be targeted:

• (A) Nominated by states or local governments (alarming giving how development-friendly our state is!) 
• (B) Adjacent to existing developed areas (plenty of those in the Central Wasatch)
• (C) Have access to existing infrastructure (again, there is already lots of existing infrastructure in up MCC, BCC, and LCC.)
• (D) Are suitable for residential housing

These criteria do little to protect important recreation areas—and may actually increase the risk that accessible public lands near growing communities will be sold.

Additionally, WBA is worried about lands at risk along SR-210, making gondola development much easier. There are key public parcels in Grizzly Gulch that have helped prevent lifts and gondolas from going into that area.

And it’s not just the Wasatch – the Uintas, La Sals, Logan, Provo, Skyline, and Abajos are all at risk!

Take Action Now

We understand this proposal is deeply frustrating—but your comments will be most effective if they remain constructive. Consider saying something like:

“As someone who’s part of a growing outdoor recreation community, I care deeply about our public lands and the long-term personal and economic benefits they bring. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s proposal threatens those values and the places we depend on.”

Contact Senator Mike Lee and tell him:

• Public lands are not for sale. They are the cornerstone of our economies and communities.
• Remove land sell-offs from the reconciliation package.
• Protect public feedback and transparency in public land management.

Senator Mike Lee
Send a message: https://www.lee.senate.gov/contact
Call his Salt Lake office: 801-524-5933
Call his DC office: 202-224-5444

Senator John Curtis
Send a message: https://www.curtis.senate.gov/share-your-opinion/
Call his DC office: 202-224-5251
Call his Salt Lake office: 801-524-4380

This is one of the most extreme land sale proposals we’ve ever seen—and it has a real chance of becoming law if we don’t act. Let’s show Congress that the backcountry community is paying attention—and we won’t stand by while our public lands are put on the auction block.

For more information, visit: https://www.outdooralliance.org/blog/2025/6/16/33millionacres-publicland-selloffs-map