Interior Plan Targets 750,000 Square Miles for Potential Sale

The Interior Department released a five-year strategic plan on Wednesday that proposes selling public lands to states, tribes, and local governments. The agency aims to decrease the size of the federal estate, which currently spans more than 750,000 square miles. This area is larger than Texas and California combined.

Agency officials stated that selling federal property will allow the government to focus resources on lands they deem nationally significant. The plan does not specify which lands are up for sale or the geographic scope of potential transactions. It also calls for strategic land transfers and exchanges to support energy production.

The strategy reflects the administration's view of public lands as assets to be used rather than set aside for preservation. This approach aligns with broader pro-fossil fuel policies. The Interior Department regulates mining, drilling, grazing, and recreation across its portfolio, which includes the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service.

In Nevada, federal control covers almost 80% of the state's land. Some Western lawmakers previously sought to sell vast tracts in Utah and Nevada to generate revenue and ease growth pressures. For example, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah proposed selling more than 2 million acres last year, but those efforts failed amid bipartisan opposition.

The proposal drew quick objections from lawmakers. Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana, who served as Interior Secretary in Trump's first term, said in a statement that he remains firmly opposed to the sale or transfer of public lands. He pledged to vote against any legislation on the issue before he leaves Congress at the end of this term.

Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat from New Mexico and the ranking member of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, also pledged to fight federal land sales. He stated that these lands belong to the American people, not private interests looking to cash in. He added that public lands belong in public hands.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum must work with Congress to achieve these goals. The plan covers the period from 2026 to 2030, and future administrations would not be bound by its provisions. The last update to the agency's strategic plan occurred four years ago under President Joe Biden. A portion of any land sale proceeds would go back to the buyer for conservation purposes elsewhere.