Cortez Masto grills Burgum on public land sales proposal for Senate's funding bill
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto asked for details about a federal plan to sell 2 million acres of public lands, but U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum didn't have answers on Wednesday.
At a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, Cortez Masto wanted to know more about Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee's reported plan to revive attempts to sell off public lands. Lee is the chairman of the committee.
Burgum confirmed it was under consideration, but had no other information.
A similar plan that Nevada Republican Rep. Mark Amodei attached to the 'one big, beautiful bill' in a late-night U.S. House committee vote eventually failed because it wasn't supported by Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke, who served as Interior secretary during Trump's first term. Now the battle has moved to the U.S. Senate.
Despite follow-up questions from Cortez Masto, Burgum couldn't provide details or identify anyone in Nevada who the administration is working with to ensure land sales actually meet the needs of the local communities. Burgum said he was 'not actively engaged' in negotiations, according to a news release from Cortez Masto's office.
'I'm asking you because we have not seen anything,' Cortez Masto said. 'The chairman has (the proposal), it is behind closed doors. I would assume you would be talking … because you're going to be taking the lead as the lead agency. So if you don't know, I'm really concerned and we should all be concerned across the West.'
Last week, speculation grew around what Lee would propose in the Senate. Public lands in Nevada and Utah appear to be likely targets.
Cortez Masto pressed Burgum on how these public lands might figure into helping to solve Nevada's affordable housing crisis, but Democrats have widely described the land sale as an attempt to fund renewal of President Donald Trump's 2017 tax breaks that are about to expire.
She also criticized Burgum over his statements regarding the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA). Burgum talked about the importance of a comprehensive process like SNPLMA as a model for federal land sales earlier in the hearing, Cortez Masto's office said.
BLM auction brings $16 million for 8 parcels across Las Vegas valley
'You talk about the benefits (of this model), but in action you're not doing it,' she said. 'In fact, on the House side — and I'm assuming they worked with the administration — their reconciliation package included federal land sales … that weren't even near areas where you could actually do affordable housing.'
She said Amodei's amendment would have sold land in the middle of the desert.
'There's no infrastructure. I don't know any builder who is going to build housing in the middle of the desert, it makes no sense,' Cortez Masto said.
SNPLMA has provided funds for parks, recreation and water infrastructure in Nevada, but the federal government has been criticized as too slow to free up lands needed to build more housing.
A compromise struck by the Bureau of Land Management under Joe Biden allowed the sale of land for $100 an acre, which would have paved the way for affordable housing construction. But that price also drastically reduced the amount of money flowing to parks through BLM land auctions.
Later Wednesday, U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he would cancel the July 4 recess week to complete work on the 'one big, beautiful bill.' It's unclear if Republicans have the support to pass the reconciliation spending package.
And even if it passes with public land sales included, the changes would be subject to approval in the House, where Zinke has said he will be a firm 'no.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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