They’re Selling What We All Own.Return the Commons Before It’s Too Late.
Across the American West, over 33 million acres of public land are up for sale: quietly, quickly, and forever.It’s not just policy. It’s the oldest trick in the book:
Take the commons. Fence them off. Sell them to kings.But not this time. Not without a fight.If you’ve ever camped, hiked, cliff-jumped, or simply breathed on public land. This matters.If you believe that what belongs to all of us shouldn’t be sold to the highest bidder. Stand up.
Call your Senators.
Demand a NO vote on public land sell-offs.
“Return the Commons” Campaign Launched to Oppose Federal Land Sell-Off Hidden in New BillJUNE 17, 2025 — ASPEN, CO — A new grassroots effort called Return the Commons has formed in opposition to a little-known section of federal legislation that mandates the sale of public land across 11 western states.Buried on Page 30 of Senate bill NEW25680 is a provision requiring the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to sell up to 0.75% of Bureau of Land
Management and National Forest land for housing development, regardless of local opposition and with no guarantee the land will remain accessible or affordable.The targeted lands include public-use areas currently enjoyed by dirt bikers, backcountry skiers, campers, and hikers. Many of these tracts are beloved wilderness spaces with no development, only freedom. If the bill passes on its scheduled July 4th vote, auctioning begins within 30 days.“We didn’t even know there was still common land left. Now we find out it’s being sold,” said James, an organizer from Colorado. “If the government can sell land we all use without asking, it’s not democracy. It’s liquidation.”The Return the Commons campaign is calling on voters, outdoor lovers, and defenders of public land to:• Contact their representatives immediately
• Demand the removal or amendment of Section ll0301
• Share photos of at-risk local land using #ReturnTheCommons
• Join the campaign“This isn’t left or right,” James added. “It’s about what’s ours. If we don’t stand up for the land we all share, they’ll pave over the memory of the commons.”For interviews, photos of affected land, or more information, email [email protected]