We're Not Willing to Give Up a Single Acre of Public…

We're Not Willing to Give Up a Single Acre of Public Land, Senator Lee

Dear Senator Mike Lee,

My name is Jonathon Klein, the executive editor at RideApart. I am a resident of the great state of Utah, where I often spend my time wandering the vast natural resources that are Utah's public lands.

Here, I find respite from the perils of the world and frustrations of modern life. On public lands, I camp with my family, teach my children about the glory of the natural world, how to leave this public land better than how we found it, and hopefully impart a semblance of conservation-minded ethic into them as we fish, hunt, and enjoy the world we've been entrusted to protect.

On public lands, I off-road with a host of vehicles, including UTVs, ATVs, dirt bikes and adventure motorcycles, and snowmobiles and PWCs. Public lands are where I find I can quiet my mind and focus on what's important around me. And I enjoy them with my friends and family almost every single week. I also see how important these public lands are to my fellow Utahns, as well as those who come to Utah to recreate and see places like Moab, Zion or Bryce, or helicopter into the backcountry to ski, snowboard, snowmobile, or hunt.

Moreover, I see that public lands are the one issue in all of American politics that brings Americans together. It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, what your background, or what activity you love to, we all stand steadfast in our belief that our public lands are the best part about this country.

And as I'm sure you're now well aware of, we will not sit by and be quiet as you attempt to sell the thing that all Americans love the most.

You, sir, still have time to remove all public land sales from the budget reconciliation bill. You still have time to walk back your comments and hear your constituents, whether they're from your party or not. You still have time to make amends and halt your asinine assault on public lands. I implore you to do just that, though I doubt you will. So I will say this.

Not. One. Acre.

You said you've changed the language in your proposal. You haven't. You said you've fixed things in your proposal so that public lands that everyone uses each and every day won't be affected. It still will. And you think we'll be OK with you selling a smaller amount than your originally planned acreage. We aren't.

We aren't OK with you selling a single acre of public land. And if you haven't felt the heat coming from this issue already, and you somehow manage to hoodwink your fellow Senators into OK'ing this provision, you will wish you had the heat you have on you right now. Because we will not go quietly on this issue.

We will not stop branding you public lands' enemy number one. You will not be able to enter the state of Utah, the state you supposedly represent, without someone coming up to you and shaming you for selling off our public lands just so you can fulfill your debts to oil, mineral, and housing developers. We will not stop. We will not let you enjoy the kickbacks you're so cravenly attempting to ensure. You won't just not have a job, as you've now made it the mission of countless outdoor organizations to see you unseated, but you'll find it hard just to live a normal life without mockery.

I do hope you'll relent, but I doubt it.

Thank you for your time,

Jonathon Klein