Greater Yellowstone Coalition Launches TV, Digital Public Lands Protection Ad Campaign

As the U.S. Senate considers a sweeping and dangerous plan to sell-off and privatize more than 3 million acres of American public lands across the West, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition today launched a television and digital ad campaign encouraging public land lovers to tell their senators to stand up and protect the outdoor spaces that fuel western states’ economies, provide clean drinking water to millions of Americans, and are part of our heritage.

Idahoans, Montanans, and Wyomingites understand that while we don’t have pro sports teams, massive amusement parks, or towering skyscrapers – we have iconic and wild outdoor spaces that cannot be replaced. These forests, trails, rivers, grazing lands, and spectacular mountains are not a bargaining chip or a commodity to be sold, fenced off, and privatized.  

Utah Senator and Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Mike Lee submitted legislation last week that would require 2.2-3.3 million acres of public land across 11 western states to be sold off over the next five years. While Montana is not currently included in the proposal, Wyoming, Idaho, and nine other western states would see large swaths of forests and prized open space next to communities privatized and turned into subdivisions. The six U.S. Senators representing Idaho, Montana and Wyoming are critical to stopping this short-sighted plan.  

“The threat to America’s public lands is real as the Senate considers an unprecedented mass sell-off,” said Greater Yellowstone Coalition Executive Director Scott Christensen. “Once these lands are sold off to the highest bidder, they’re gone forever. The senators of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming have the chance to stand up and protect something that unites us as Americans – the forests, trails, and open spaces next to our communities. If these lands are sold and privatized, we and future generations will lose the freedom to access them and enjoy their many benefits, from providing wildlife habitat to boosting our local economy.”  

he Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is expected to vote on this legislation next week. If it passes, the full Senate will consider the proposal before July 4. We encourage concerned citizens to call or email your Senators today and ask them to vote against this harmful proposal to sell public lands.