Public Outcry Grows Over Republican Plan to Sell Off 22 Million Acres of Oregon Public Land

The Wilderness Society has come out in a scathing attack of Senate Republicans for their ‘poisonous version’ of a bill calling for the sale of between 200 to 300 million acres of land in 11 states, including Oregon, managed by the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service.

Oregon’s Renowned Owyhee Canyonlands Earmarked for Sale

Oregon’s renowned Owyhee Canyonlands are among the areas earmarked for the massive sale.

The provisions of the bill contain limited exemptions, making areas with critical habitat, critical environmental concern, wilderness study areas, and areas without roads, eligible for sale

More than 250 million acres of public lands will be eligible for sale to interested parties, says the Wilderness Society.

Nearly 22 Million Acres of Oregon Public Land Could be Sold

The Senate Republicans are offering close to 22 million acres of land in Oregon for sale. The 21,745,380 acres comprise 11,86 million under the Bureau of Land Management and nearly 10 million acres managed by the Forest Service.

Except for Oregon, the 10 other states earmarked for massive public land sales are Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The largest loss of land will be suffered by Alaska, where close to 67 million acres will come under the hammer.

Apart from the Owyhee Canyonlands, included among some of the most significant intact landscapes in the United States are the Otero Mesa and Snoqualmie Forests. ‘These places are vital not only to the human communities in and around them but also to vulnerable wildlife struggling to survive in an increasingly developed world,’ says the society.

The Bill Mandates Oil Lease Sales and Doubling Logging

The organization goes on to decry the bill as destructive, mandating oil lease sales in the Arctic Refuge, constructing a mining road through a national park, and more than doubling the amount of logging in western national forests – a decision that will impact Oregon.

The Wilderness Society asks if politicians will stand by their constituents and the overwhelming majority of Americans who want public lands to be protected, ‘or will they succumb to pressure and give our lands away to fund tax cuts for the wealthy?’

Estacada Residents Interviewed by Rep. Maxine Dexter on X

In a video on X, Oregon Congresswoman Maxine Dexter says people want their public land protected and reinforced her sentiment by interviewing residents of Estacada who confirm that their families use the land to camp, fish, kayak, bird watch, and hike.

Oregonians are clear: Public Lands must stay in Public Hands! pic.twitter.com/Scj8QE87kf

— Congresswoman Maxine Dexter (@RepDexterOR) June 22, 2025

A local birdwatcher says the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge and the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge are among the best birding areas in the state.

Residents of Estacada describe the public lands in their region as important to tourism and forestry and for the emotional and physical health of the people.

Rep. Dexter says: ‘We say no to selling our public lands…they are our lands and are to be kept and treasured and taken care of.’