Western U.S. Governors United Against Public Land Selloff

Western U.S. governors, both Democratic and Republican, have joined forces to oppose a proposed large-scale selloff of public lands, part of President Donald Trump's tax and spending bill. During a meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico, governors from New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming voiced strong objections to Senate Republicans' plans to sell up to 3.3 million acres of federally owned land across 11 Western states.

Conservationists are outraged, and even some Republicans have previously blocked similar provisions. Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico remarked that the proposal is unlikely to gain traction in her state, emphasizing the collective ownership of these lands. Under the plan, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service would be tasked with selling between 2.2 million and 3.3 million acres to fund federal projects.

Governor Mark Gordon of Wyoming asserts that any decisions regarding public land sales should be made at the state level, focusing on specific areas needing development. Recent protests in Santa Fe saw thousands demonstrating against the land sell-off, with some officials backing the cause, arguing that public lands hold substantial cultural and communal value.

(With inputs from agencies.)