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Selling off Idaho's public lands is out of step with our values. Their fate may be up to Sen. Crapo. • Idaho Capital Sun [1]

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Date: 2025-06-26

Newspapers, TV and social media have been blowing up lately, shining a light on a provision tucked in the U.S. Senate’s version of the “Big Beautiful Bill” that would force the sale of public lands. The last couple of days have been dizzying. The sell off language has been removed, only to be added back, then changed multiple times. In, out, in. Enough already.

Selling off our public lands is wildly out of step with the values of people across our state. These are the lands where we hunt, fish, camp, hike, ride ATVs and horses, watch wildlife and find solitude. They’re our heritage — and our birthright. And that birthright is under threat.

Republicans and Democrats, ranchers and river runners, hunters and hikers — we may not agree on everything, but we all agree that public lands should stay in public hands.

Let’s be clear about what selling public lands means: Idahoans will lose access to land that has always belonged to them. “No trespassing” signs will go up. Gates will be locked.

This is not hypothetical. This is not alarmism. This is a real threat. And Idahoans have stepped up to confront this threat. Thousands of Idahoans have spoken out. Together we’ve called, written and visited the offices of our senators to voice our deep opposition to these land sale provisions. And it made a difference. Both U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch have now issued statements opposing the sale of public lands.

As this fight rages, those who want to steal your land have tried to dodge criticism and throw you off by repeatedly offering up different versions of language. But no “kinder, gentler” version of selling off public lands changes that selling off our public lands is still selling off public lands. It is a betrayal of all Idahoans and all Americans. It is a terrible idea and sets a terrible precedent for future sell offs of our heritage.

You see, Sen. Crapo is not just any senator. He’s the powerful chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, the very committee responsible for writing this bill. In plain terms: this is Sen. Crapo’s bill. If the language forcing the sale of public lands gets removed, it will be because he made it happen. If it stays in, it’s because he allowed it to stay.

Sen. Crapo, Idahoans are counting on you. You have the power — and the means — to stop the sale and privatization of the lands Idahoans and Americans enjoy for hunting, fishing, camping, snowmobiling, and more. Heed the calls of Idahoans and remove this terrible provision from the bill. You’ve told Idahoans you oppose selling off our public lands. Now is the time to turn that statement into action.

Sen. Risch, we need your leadership here too. As a senior member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and as someone who has championed public access in the past, your voice matters. We need you to make it crystal clear that selling public land is unacceptable and must be stripped from this bill.

Let’s not forget what’s at stake. These lands support our economy. They sustain our rural communities. They protect our water, our wildlife and our way of life. They’re also a legacy. It’s our duty to protect them for those who will come after us. If we allow them to be sold now, they will be lost forever. And future generations will look back and wonder why we didn’t fight harder.

Idahoans believe in collaboration, in common ground, and in the power of citizens to influence policy. That’s exactly what’s happening right now. Idahoans are speaking up. They’re standing up. And they’re watching closely.

So to Sen. Crapo and Sen. Risch, we say this: thank you for listening to your constituents. Thank you for opposing this terrible idea. Now, let’s finish the job.

Strip the public land sale provision from the reconciliation bill. Keep public lands in public hands. And show the nation that when it comes to defending our shared heritage, Idaho leads.

Because once these lands are gone, they’re gone. Let’s not let that happen — not on our watch.

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[1] Url: https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/06/26/selling-off-idahos-public-lands-is-out-of-step-with-our-values-their-fate-may-be-up-to-sen-crapo/

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