HECHO Statement on Senate Reinstating Proposal to Sell Public Lands and Reverse Critical Energy Leasing Reforms in Budget Reconciliation Bill

Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO) strongly opposes Senator Mike Lee's proposal to reinstate the sale of public lands and the provisions to reverse crucial oil and gas leasing reforms through the budget reconciliation bill. These measures would put millions of acres of public lands throughout the West at risk, including in Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico. These lands are vital not only for supporting local economies and outdoor recreation but also hold significant cultural importance for Hispanic communities who have cared for and relied on them for generations.  

"Selling public lands and treating them as budgetary tools while weakening responsible leasing policies goes against the principles of stewardship, transparency, and fiscal responsibility that communities across the West, including Hispanics, uphold," said Camilla Simon, Executive Director of HECHO. "Using the reconciliation process to sell public lands is simply wrong and would set a troubling precedent by sidelining local input and treating our lands as a short-term budget fix." 

While HECHO recognizes that there are legitimate processes for the disposal of public lands, those decisions must include public input and ensure lasting community benefits, such as conservation easements and access protections, rather than backdoor maneuvers that bypass local voices. 

As lawmakers look for ways to balance the federal budget, the bill proposes measures that would actually decrease revenue from public lands. It would lower royalty rates for oil and gas to 12.5% and reinstate noncompetitive leasing, which would ultimately result in taxpayers receiving less, not more.  

“Taxpayers deserve to receive fair market value for the resources extracted from their lands, and that requires responsible energy policies. It doesn’t make sense to reduce revenue from our public lands while claiming to pursue fiscal responsibility. Public resources should be managed for long-term benefit, not short-term gain,” said Simon.  

This attempt to use the budget reconciliation process to sell off public lands and remove leasing safeguards is both shortsighted and fiscally unsound. HECHO urges Senators from both parties to carefully examine these provisions and remove them from the legislation.  

We are committed to protecting public lands and ensuring that decisions about their future reflect the voices and values of the communities that depend on them.