Idaho Public Lands Advocates Respond to Latest Sell-Off Proposal: Rural Idaho Needs Teamwork, not a Giveaway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, December 16, 2025  

Contact:  
John Robison, Idaho Conservation League |  jrobison@idahoconservation.org   
Emilie Ritter, Greater Yellowstone Coalition |  eritter@greateryellowstone.org   
Chris Saeger, The Wilderness Society |  csaeger@tws.org   

Idaho public lands advocates today raised serious concerns about Congressman Russ Fulcher’s effort to pursue state control — and potential future ownership — of Idaho’s national public lands. The proposal would place an impossible financial burden on the state, undermine rural county budgets, threaten Idaho’s outdoor recreation and agricultural economies, and pave the way for the privatization of the lands that define Idaho’s identity.  

“Public lands belong to all Americans — not just the fortunate few or the highest bidders,” said Rob Mason, Idaho State Director of The Wilderness Society. “They’re a shared national treasure and a cornerstone of Idaho’s way of life. Once these lands are privatized or sold, we never get them back.”  

Last summer, Idahoans from across the political spectrum joined together to reject efforts to sell off public lands. Elected leaders including Congressman Mike Simpson and Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo stood with them in defense of keeping public lands public. Despite this broad, bipartisan consensus, Rep. Fulcher is now promoting a plan to explore transferring federal lands to state management, describing the shift as “imminent.”  

But Idaho’s fiscal realities tell a different story. Federal land management in Idaho costs more than $500 million per year — an expense the state cannot absorb. With Idaho already facing a $58 million budget shortfall this year and up to $1 billion next year, the state would face only two options: raise taxes or sell off our public lands.   

“Idahoans have said time and again they don’t want either option. Congressman Fulcher is out of touch with the majority of Idahoans,” said Kathy Rinaldi, Director of Conservation at the Greater Yellowstone Coalition.  

Public lands support Idaho’s multi-billion-dollar outdoor recreation economy, the state’s $20 billion agriculture industry, and serve as the headwaters for communities’ clean drinking water.   

“Congressman Fulcher’s proposal puts our heritage and our livelihoods at risk,” said John Robison, Public Lands & Wildlife Director at the Idaho Conservation League. “These places are part of our family traditions and our rural economies. They are not a burden — they are the backbone of who we are as Idahoans.”  

A recent statewide survey underscores this sentiment: 96 percent of Idaho registered voters want public lands to remain in public hands.  

Rural counties need stronger, more reliable federal support, yet longstanding programs like Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILT) and Secure Rural Schools (SRS) continue to receive broad bipartisan backing in Congress. Just last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 399–5 to reauthorize SRS.  

“Idaho’s counties deserve real, durable solutions — not risky land transfers that could dismantle the very landscapes that draw people to live, work, and recreate in Idaho,” said Rinaldi.  

The organizations are calling on Congress to strengthen these programs by:  

• Updating PILT so large public lands counties receive a fair share of support;  

• Ensuring SRS is reauthorized well before it expires;  

• Securing permanent funding to stabilize county budgets long-term.  

They also emphasize the need for improved on-the-ground management. Partnership tools like the Good Neighbor Authority and Shared Stewardship have been effective but require expanded federal capacity, increased collaboration with Tribes and local communities, and modernized policy tools to meet the challenges of a changing West.  

“Handing over or selling off these lands is not the answer,” Mason said. “The responsible path is working together — counties, the state, Idahoans, and our federal delegation — to improve management while keeping these lands in public hands, so future generations can have the same freedom we do to explore the great outdoors.”  

“Let’s keep Idaho’s public lands public, conserved, and accessible,” Robison added. “Once they’re gone, they’re gone for good.”  

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