To quote Doctor Strange, "We're in the end game now." And by that, I mean we've got only a few days to call our Senators, call our representatives, and tell them that the proposed sale of nearly 250 million acres of our public lands cannot be forced through the Senate's version of the reconciliation bill.
You read that number right, it's 250 million acres they want gone. As others have reported, the wording and clauses within Senator Mike Lee's public lands sell-off provision would make 250 million-plus acres of our public land available to be sold. That initial 3 million I wrote about was only just the beginning salvo to be enacted almost immediately once the bill becomes law.
And again, the lie that this sell-off is designed for affordable housing is exactly that, a lie. A lie I've disproved so many times, it's ridiculous. This sell-off is because Senator Mike Lee—unfortunately, the hobgoblin that supposedly represents me—hates the idea of public lands and wants to sell them all off to make a fast buck.
And because he's a Captain Planet villain.
But to showcase just what's at stake, the good folks at The Wilderness Society created an interactive map showing exactly where the proposed parcels of public land to be sold are located throughout the country. And folks, seeing it in this map, it's so much worse than just seeing that 250 million acre number. So much worse.
I screenshot the map, but you can click here and view the interactive map and scroll through it. But if you think it won't touch you, it will. And if you think this is only a hunting and fishing issue, you're dead-ass wrong.
Off-roaders, both of the 4x4, side-by-side, dirt bike, and ATV variety, you can kiss Moab, Utah, goodbye. You'll also say goodbye to the Johnson Valley in California, home to King of the Hammers. Snowmobilers, everything you hold dear is up for sale. Every ounce of the Backcountry Discovery Routes? Yeah, those are gone, too. That adventure ride to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska? Nope, not gonna happen. And say goodbye to literally all your favorite hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, climbing, and every other recreation spot you have saved in your onX. It's all—all of it—up for sale thanks to this absolutely idiotic reconciliation bill designed to sell off our public lands to pay for a tax cut for billionaires.
We're getting railroaded, and it's up to us to call our representatives and give them a piece of our minds.
I know that personal stories likely won't sway anyone, but I checked out where I take my kids backcountry fishing. We drive out there in our Can-Am Maverick X3, deep into the woods, and attempt to catch some trout as a family. We've played in the lake, got soaken wet, and grinned ear to ear as we enjoy some Uncrustables while drying off in the sun. I also looked at where I found my first hunting success.
They're up for sale.
Now, I say this because I want you to put in your family's favorite locations to off-road, go on adventures, hunt, fish, or whatever else you love doing. I want you to see that those areas are up for sale, too. That you do have skin in the game, and that calling your Senator, calling your representatives, emailing, faxing, or sending a god-damn carrier pigeon to their office might just stop this sale before it starts. Because if it does, there's absolutely no hope of regaining this land. They'll sell it off, and it's gone forever.
And luckily for all of us public lands owners, a few organizations have made it incredibly easy to tell our representatives what we think, including The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Howl for Wildlife, our friends at Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, and others.
So flood the zone. Flood their inboxes. Flood their voicemails. Flood everything. It's time to fight and fight we can.
