Press Releases

LCV Statement on Rep. Chaffetz Abandoning his Public Lands Sell-Off Legislation

Feb 2, 2017

Contact: Hannah Blatt, (202) 454-4554 or hannah_blatt@lcv.org

Washington DC—In response to Rep. Jason Chaffetz announcing that he is “withdrawing” legislation (H.R. 621) that would sell off 3.3 million acres of public lands across the West, LCV Deputy Legislative Director Alex Taurel issued the following statement:

“Score one for the resistance.  Rep. Chaffetz’s radical proposal to sell off more than three million acres of America’s public lands ran headlong into the opposition of countless people in this country who stood up to say that America’s majestic public lands must remain in public hands.  This victory shows that when people march and speak out and call their elected officials, they will pay attention.  But this fight continues, because anti-parks politicians like Reps. Chaffetz and Bishop are continuing to push extreme proposals that would endanger people’s ability to enjoy their public lands, such as gutting the Antiquities Act that was used to first protect half of our national parks as well as eliminating law enforcement capabilities of our federal land agencies in order to cater to the likes of extremists like Cliven and Ammon Bundy.  We will resist these efforts to reward big polluters and other corporate special interests at the expense of everyday people in this country who treasure America’s national parks and other public lands.”

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