Update: Land sale plan falters under pressure
Lee walks back land sale plan as Senate blocks provision
Just days after widespread public outcry—including from conservation groups, hunters, and even online conservative influencers—and following our own reporting yesterday on the naturist stakes involved, Sen. Mike Lee’s proposal to sell off millions of acres of public lands has been stripped from the Senate’s version of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”
In a surprise ruling late Monday, the Senate parliamentarian determined that the land-sale provision could not be included in the reconciliation package. Lee had already begun walking back the plan, saying he would remove U.S. Forest Service lands and limit sales to parcels within five miles of population centers. But the ruling effectively pulls the provision from the bill altogether—for now.
The backlash was broad and bipartisan. Protests erupted in places like Lake Tahoe and Santa Fe, where demonstrators rallied in defense of public lands. Hunting and conservation groups criticized the proposal, and even prominent conservatives took to social media to call it reckless. The public pressure appears to have played a role in the plan’s unraveling.
The lands targeted for sale included large swaths of BLM and Forest Service acreage across 11 western states, sparking concern among naturists about losing access to places like the Magic Circle, recreational areas near lakes and in national parks, and countless trails and campgrounds.
While this is a victory for public land defenders, it may only be temporary. Sen. Lee has promised to keep pushing the idea, and similar proposals could re-emerge in future legislation. For now, the naturist community—and everyone who depends on public lands—can breathe a little easier.
Stay tuned. We’ll keep watching. 🪐
Previously:
Naturist spaces on the auction block
A sweeping land selloff tucked into Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” could strip public access to iconic nude recreation areas like Arizona’s Magic Circle and remote hot springs across the West. Planet Nude breaks down what’s at stake—and how naturists can help track and defend the wild spaces we hold dear.
Yay!
<Whew!>