The public lands threat and why UPHE is opposing 

Utah Senator Mike Lee is pretending to listen to public backlash—but make no mistake, his plan to auction off our public lands was stopped not because he cared, but because it was ruled out of order by the Senate parliamentarian.

Lee’s original proposal, buried in Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill,” would have sold off more than 3 million acres of federal public lands across the West, including here in Utah. He claimed it was for housing, but we know better. This was a blatant handout to developers and special interests at the expense of our health, environment, and future. 

After overwhelming opposition, including from many of you who spoke out, Lee is now scrambling to revise the bill. He claims Forest Service lands and some BLM acreage are off the table, but he’s still pushing to sell public lands within five miles of our communities under the misleading label of “freedom zones.” Think of your local Utah community, whether it’s Salt Lake City, Nephi, or St. George. Do you really want more mega-mansions creeping up our mountains and eating away at the open spaces that make this state special?

Many of us choose to live in Utah to be close to nature, not buried in endless sprawl and luxury developments.

Selling off these lands increases pollution, worsens air quality, and strips away critical natural protections our health depends on.

Public lands filter our air, store carbon, and act as buffers against pollution. In a state like Utah, already battling some of the nation’s worst air quality, we cannot afford to lose more of these natural defenses.

In Southern Utah, rapid development and land disturbance have fueled a rise in Valley Fever, a dangerous fungal infection that thrives in disturbed desert soils and can cause serious, long-term illness. Across the state, destroying wildlands also worsens wildfire risk—meaning more smoke, more hazardous air quality days, and more threats to Utahns’ lungs, hearts, and overall health.

We want to thank everyone who raised their voice to oppose this reckless proposal. But this fight isn’t over. We’ll be watching every move and standing up for our lands, our air, and our health.