Federal Public Land Sales in Western States

Proposed

A Senate budget reconciliation bill proposes the sale of between 2 million to 3 million acres of U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands across Western states, including Colorado. The sales aim to provide land for affordable housing development, prioritizing land near existing development and infrastructure or isolated inefficient-to-manage parcels. The proposal excludes lands with designations such as national monuments, parks, wilderness areas, and lands with existing rights, although recent drafts may include grazing permit lands. The sales would be conducted over the next five years, with states, local governments, and tribes given the right of first refusal to purchase lands.