Thanks to pressure from the outdoor community—including nearly 100,000 letters to lawmakers—House representatives removed an amendment to sell off more than 500,000 acres of public land in Utah and Nevada from H.R. 1, a spending bill nicknamed One Big Beautiful Bill. Other damaging provisions were also cut, including efforts to undermine BLM land use plans that protect trails, climbing areas, and paddling routes, as well as a proposal to build the Ambler Road in Alaska.
However, the final bill still poses serious threats. It weakens the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), allowing developers to pay for faster environmental reviews and reducing public and judicial oversight. It also cuts funding for the National Park Service, weakens old-growth forest protections, and opens Minnesota’s Boundary Waters to possible development.
“This bill is very bad for public lands and waters,” said Outdoor Alliance’s Louis Geltman. “But at the same time, it’s really encouraging that a growing group of lawmakers are standing up for public lands, and that doesn’t happen without our community showing up.” Outdoor Alliance’s full report can be found here.
The bill—which passed by a single vote in the House—now heads to the Senate, where public lands advocates have another chance to push for changes. Fill out Outdoor Alliance’s form to contact your representatives here or, if you prefer to reach out to your representatives directly, refer to the Senate directory for contact information.
— Height of Land Publications
May 23, 2025
Adam Howard, President and CEO
Betsy Manero, Backcountry Magazine Editor in Chief
Derek Franz, Alpinist Magazine Editor in Chief
Brian Riepe, Mountain Flyer and Cross Country Skier Magazine Publisher
Justin Reyher, Alpinist and Backcountry Magazine Publisher
To read more about the original proposal, click here.