BOISE, Idaho — Boise Mayor Lauren McLean joined Washington Senator Maria Cantwell and other western state leaders on Tuesday to oppose a proposal that would sell more than 3,200 square miles of federal public lands.
The officials warned that the sale could cause irreparable damage to western states and block public access to popular recreation areas.
Hear what Boise Mayor McLean has to say about the proposed sale:
Senator Cantwell says if you’re a hunter, you better pay close attention to what’s happening in Washington. "You could show up at your favorite spot and all of a sudden you see a no-hunting sign," Cantwell said.
For McLean, who has defended her administration's efforts to protect public access to the Boise foothills, the issue strikes close to home.
“It shapes our community, as Mayor of Boise, I’m looking out of my office at two distinct areas that are put at risk with this proposal to sell off public lands," McLean said. "Just yesterday, a resident asked, 'How can they sell them off? They’re public, they belong to us.' That is the question we all should be asking and that we’ve got to fight for.”
McLean emphasized the potential impact on Boise's popular trail system.
“Because in this proposal, the sell off of land would potentially block access to about 11 percent of over 200 miles of the trails, we have that leave from our city into open spaces," McLean said.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham also expressed concerns on Monday, calling the proposal problematic because of the close relationship residents have with public lands.
Both Idaho Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo currently oppose transferring public lands to private ownership.
Proponents of the deal, including Utah Senator Mike Lee, argue that the sold land could be used to build private housing.
