Utah senator to revisit public land sale

Driving the news: "Hunter Nation: You spoke, and I'm listening," Lee posted Sunday on X. "I'll be making changes in the coming days."

What's happening: The proposal stemmed from a Trump administration pledge to unlock federal land for housing construction formalized in legislation championed by Lee.

• The proposal would have required the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to sell up to 3.3 million acres of land nationally, prioritizing parcels near existing roads and development.

What they're saying: "This is a complete betrayal of future generations and puts beloved hiking trails, hunting spots, fishing holes, campgrounds, and more at risk," U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash) said in an emailed statement.

• "There are no do-overs when it comes to selling off public lands. Once they're sold, they're lost forever," U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) told Axios' Meira Gebel.

By the numbers: Public land in Washington that could have been eligible for sale included climbing sites and hiking and mountain bike trails.

Friction point: Republicans had said it would free up land for housing development, but a recent Headwaters Economics report found less than 2% of the eligible public lands near towns with housing needs are viable for development, per U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell.

Eds note: This story has been updated with additional reporting and has been corrected to reflect that the Wilderness Society analysis was published recently (not last week).