Daily on Energy: Public land sell off blasted across the spectrum

The Interior Department’s proposal to sell federal land has drawn opposition from politicians of both parties and conservation groups, with several lawmakers vowing to block sales in their states. The backlash matters because public lands are widely used for recreation and the proposal echoes sale provisions that were removed from last year’s spending legislation.

Under current law, the Bureau of Land Management can sell land in limited circumstances, such as when it is no longer needed for federal purposes or is difficult to manage. Sales of more than 2,500 acres must go to Congress for approval or veto. From 2014 to 2023, the bureau sold or transferred about 1.08 million acres and acquired 291,400 acres; some advocates support transferring land to states for development, while critics warn this could enable privatisation.