California public lands could be sold under GOP budget plan
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The trail to Cedar Creek Falls is on public land in the Cleveland National Forest. Photo: Brandi McCutcheon
More than 16 million acres of federal public land in California could be eligible for sale if Congress passes the Trump administration's budget bill, according to a new analysis by a conservation nonprofit.
Why it matters: Privatizing that land could limit access to popular hiking, camping and picnic areas in the Cleveland National Forest in San Diego County, The Wilderness Society found.
Zoom in: That includes local hot spots like Three Sisters Falls, Cedar Creek Falls, Garnet Peak Trail and the Laguna Mountain Area.
- Across California, land around Yosemite National Park, Mount Shasta, Big Sur and Lake Tahoe, as well as along the Pacific Crest Trail, is at risk of being sold.
The big picture: The Republican-led proposal would require the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, which oversee vast swaths of public land, to put up to 3.3 million acres on the market for housing development.
- The bill's focus is on parcels outside of protected lands (like national parks, monuments and wilderness areas, which are exempt) but near roads and other development deemed suitable by local and state lawmakers.
- The Wilderness Society estimates more than 250 million acres across 11 Western states could be eligible for sale.
Follow the money: The majority of proceeds from the potential sale of those public lands — estimated to bring in between $5 billion and $10 billion over the next decade — would go to the U.S. Treasury, while 5% would go to local governments.
Friction point: A recent Headwaters Economics report found only a small percentage — less than 2% — of public lands in the West near towns with increased housing demand are practical for development, which could also be complicated due to high wildfire risk.
- The relevant land in eastern San Diego County is a very high fire-hazard zone, and extreme weather has been raising property insurance rates.
What they're saying: "If Republicans have their way, we will never get our public lands back once they are privatized," Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) said in a statement to Axios, vowing to protect the lands.
What's next: The Senate has until July 4 to vote on the budget reconciliation bill, which includes the land-sale provision.