House republicans urge to sell thousands of hectares of public land in the west

Washington – Washington (AP) – Home republicans have added a provision to their major tax reduction package that would allow the sale of thousands of hectares of public land in Nevada and Utah, which has been delivered from Democrats and environmental groups that called the plan a betrayal that could lead to more drilling, mining and log registration in the West.

Republicans in the Natural Resources Committee house approved the land sale proposal early on Wednesday morning. The first design had not included it in the midst of two -fold opposition.

The determination of the land sale of the Republican representatives. Mark Amodei from Nevada and Celeste Maloy from Utah would sell thousands of hectares of public land in the two states and evokes that some of the packages are eligible for affordable housing projects.

Colorado Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd voted against the provision and rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., Called it ‘deeply irresponsible’.

“Public lands should not have a price tag. But (president) Donald Trump And his allies in the congress work as crazy to transfer our public grounds to billionaires and business polluters to drill, and to log in with the absolute minimum supervision or accountability, “said Athan Manuel, director of the Lima Program of Sierra Club. The countries that may be for sale ‘are of all Americans. They should not be given away to path company bottom line, “said Manuel.

Turnover was approved when the Natural Resources Committee 26-17 voted to promote the legislation that could make an increased leasing of public land for drilling, mining and logging, while the path is deleted for more development by accelerating government approvals. Royalty rates paid by companies to extract oil, gas and coal, would be reduced, reducing the former Democratic president Joe Biden’s attempts to fossil fuels To tackle climate change.

The measure is part of Trump Large bill for tax benefitsspend cuts and Screamed financing to stop migrants. House speaker Mike Johnson has set the goal of passing the package from his room by Memorial Day. All in all, 11 different house committees are making parts of the bill.

Montana Rep. Ryan ZinkeA Republican and former Minister of the Interior in the first Trump government had said before the vote that he was drawing a “red line” of the sale of public land.

“It’s a no now. It will not be one later. It will be a NO Forever,” said Zinke, whose state includes large plots of federal property countries.

Zinc and rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-New Mexico, lead a new dual public countries intended to protect and expand access to the public land of America. The caucus was launched with a Wednesday news conference -hours after the vote of the source panel.

When asked about the provisions of land sales, Zinke said that he understood frustrations about limitations on logging and mineral extraction. But he suggested that public grounds should remain under government management.

“I prefer the management schedule and I give a hotel as an example. If you don’t like the management of a hotel, the hotel will not sell; change management,” he said.

Oil and gas royalty rates would fall from 16.7% on public grounds and 18.75% offshore to a uniform 12.5% ​​below the bill of the committee, which is still confronted with a vote in the entire house and the Senate as soon as it is included in the final legislative package. Royalties for coal would fall from 12.5% ​​to 7%.

The measure calls for four sales of oil and gas lease in the National National Wildlife Refuge in the following decade. It also tries the Sick coal industry With a mandate to make available for leasing 6,250 square miles of public land – an area that is larger than Connecticut.

Republican supporters say that the lost income would be compensated by increased development. It is uncertain whether companies have a appetite for lease contracts, given the steep decline of industry in recent years, because utilities have switched to cleaner burning fuels and renewable energy.

Drew Mcconville, a senior fellow at the Liberal Center for American Progress, denounced the voice of the committee.

“The Trump tax assessment was already a huge and historical sale of American countries and waters for business interests. This darkness maneuver shows how shamelessly focused congress republicans to sacrifice public benefits to pay for Trump’s reckless tax reductions, the losses in one outdoor-legacy is the losses in one-legacy losses” ” declaration.

Domestic secretary Doug Burgum and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner in March suggested With the help of “Underuted” Federal Land For affordable homes. Turner said that around 7 million houses are needed. Civil servants under Biden also tried to use public land for affordable homes, although on a smaller scale.

The agencies have not yet released more details about the plan.