Environmental watchdog group Los Padres ForestWatch is speaking out forcefully against a controversial provision in the Senate’s budget proposal—also known as Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”—that would allow the sale of up to 3 million acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land across 11 western U.S. states.
The group, based in Santa Barbara, warns that this unprecedented move threatens California’s fragile ecosystems, public access to open spaces, and sets a dangerous legislative precedent by bypassing traditional environmental review processes.
🌄 Public Lands at Risk in Central & Southern California
According to ForestWatch’s Director of Conservation & Research, Bryant Baker, more than 280,000 acres of BLM land in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Kern, San Luis Obispo, and Monterey counties could be affected—including significant portions of the Carrizo Plain, one of the most biologically diverse grassland ecosystems in North America.
“These lands are rich in wildlife, cultural history, and recreational access,” Baker said. “Selling them off to private developers would cause irreversible harm to California’s natural heritage.”
⚠️ Loopholes & Lack of Oversight
The bill’s current language allows these land sales to proceed without public input, environmental analysis, or clear restrictions on who can buy them. While supporters argue the move is aimed at addressing housing shortages near growing towns, the text does not require that the land be used for affordable housing.
ForestWatch warns that these vague provisions could open the door to oil and gas extraction, mining operations, or luxury real estate development, especially in rural and resource-rich counties.
🏛 Political Maneuvering via Reconciliation
Critics also object to the method used to introduce the land-sale provision. By embedding it in a budget reconciliation bill, the Senate majority only needs a simple 51-vote majority to pass it—sidestepping the traditional 60-vote threshold and avoiding deeper scrutiny or debate.
“This isn’t just a land grab—it’s a procedural abuse to ram through something the public never agreed to,” Baker added.
🛑 What’s Excluded, What’s Still in Danger
The bill excludes national parks, monuments, and designated wilderness areas, but still targets BLM lands located within five miles of population centers—which includes many popular recreation areas and undeveloped landscapes vital to wildlife connectivity, fire resilience, and clean air.
🗣 ForestWatch Calls for Public Action
ForestWatch is urging residents of California and other Western states to contact their elected representatives, visit threatened public lands like the Carrizo Plain, and raise awareness about what’s at stake.
“If you care about your local trails, wildlife, and clean water—now is the time to speak up,” the group said in a public statement.
