Montanans Help Defeat Late-Night Public Land Grab

These days, it feels like we’re constantly having to fight tooth and nail to protect our public lands. It’s an uphill battle between officials and greed—and far too often, last-minute decisions get slipped into bills without proper review. Next thing you know, access to thousands of acres is gone, just like that.

Here in Montana, we recently saw the East Crazy Mountains Land Exchange. Despite public pushback, the U.S. Forest Service finalized the deal on January 17, 2025. Many Montanans still have serious doubts about the swap, but for now, what’s done is done.

Now, something similar just happened in Nevada and Utah—only this one was even bigger. We’re talking over 500,000 acres in a land disposal deal—one of the largest in recent memory.

If you’re not familiar, land disposal is when the government sells, transfers, or trades public land to private owners or agencies. And most of the time, that means public access gets shut off for good.

The latest push came through a budget reconciliation bill aimed at addressing housing issues. But at the last minute—literally midnight on May 6—a shady amendment got tacked on. The amendment would’ve bypassed the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA), which ensures land sale proceeds go back into preserving public lands. Without FLTFA, that money could be rerouted anywhere—and our public lands take the hit.

The worst part? There was zero time for public review or discussion.

But here’s the good news: the outdoor community stepped up big time. Hunters, anglers, hikers, off-roaders, conservationists—you name it—flooded lawmakers with calls and emails. Outdoor brands and public land advocates threw their weight behind the effort too. And it worked.

Late on May 21, the House Rules Committee removed the amendment through what’s called a “manager’s amendment,” thanks to the pressure they received. Talk about dodging a bullet.

Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke even stepped up, saying:

“This was my San Juan Hill; I do not support the widespread sale or transfer of public lands. Once the land is sold, we will never get it back. God isn’t creating more land. Public access, sportsmanship, grazing, tourism… our entire Montanan way of life is connected to our public lands. I don’t yield to pressure; I only yield to higher principle. There is a process to making sure that our lands are being used for the best benefit of the people.”

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This was a big win. But also a serious wake-up call. If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that we have to stay loud, stay engaged, and never assume our public lands are safe without a fight.