Congress moves to lock federal lands in public hands, blocking sales to private buyers
H.R. 718 — Public Lands in Public Hands Act · Filed by Ryan Zinke (R-MT) · 18 cosponsors · Introduced Jan 23, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill prohibits the Interior Secretary and Agriculture Secretary from selling or transferring publicly accessible federal land (or land next to it) to private parties or non-federal entities, with narrow exceptions for small parcels under 300 acres, transfers authorized by specific existing laws, and land exchanges. It aims to keep large tracts of federal land in public ownership and accessible to the public.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is a straightforward prohibition on transferring publicly accessible federal land to non-federal entities, with statutory exceptions. It is a land-use restriction designed to preserve public ownership and access.
What the text implies
- The definition of 'publicly accessible tract' is broad and includes land contiguous to accessible tracts, potentially capturing large interior parcels that are not themselves directly accessible—this may prevent fragmentation strategies but also locks in land that could otherwise be managed flexibly.
- The exception for transfers 'authorized by Federal law' is broad and could allow future Congresses to carve out specific parcels by name, creating a loophole if political pressure mounts for particular land sales.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who it affects
The bill restricts government officials' power to privatize public lands that citizens currently access, preserving public recreational and conservation rights. The exceptions are narrow and mostly codify existing statutory authorities, so the net effect is to lock in public ownership of accessible federal lands.