Republcian Rep. Mark Amodei of Nevada has added an amendment to a House budget bill that would sell off more than 93,000 acres of federal land in Nevada. The House Natural Resources Committee approved this plan on Monday as part of the Republicans’ budget package.
What’s Being Sold?
The amendment would allow the sale of about 65,000 acres in Clark County (that’s about 71% of the size of Las Vegas), nearly 16,000 acres in Washoe County, and around 12,000 acres in Lyon County. It also includes some Forest Service land in Nevada.
The plan also allows for the sale or exchange of lands in Pershing County that were already marked for disposal by the Bureau of Land Management – about 356,100 acres that could be exchanged at a 1-to-1 ratio.
Why This Matters to Conservatives
This amendment taps into core conservative values about who should control land – the federal government or local communities. Right now, the federal government owns about 80% of Nevada’s land. Many conservatives believe states and local governments can manage these lands better than Washington bureaucrats.
The plan says the land will be used for things that help everyday folks. The amendment specifies that land in Clark and Washoe counties will be used for affordable housing. The Lyon County land will be sold to the city of Fernley for development as the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center II. This means more homes and jobs for Nevadans.
Follow the Money
Here’s where things get sticky. Nevada’s House Democrats are upset because the money from these land sales would help cover the Trump administration’s proposed tax cuts, rather than staying in Nevada as has been done in the past.
“Nevada gets screwed. We don’t get any of that money,” said Rep. Dina Titus, a Nevada Democrat.
For many conservatives, using land sales to help pay for tax cuts might sound like a win-win. Lower taxes are a key conservative goal. But others might worry about whether their state is getting a fair deal.
What Critics Are Saying
Rep. Susie Lee, another Nevada Democrat, called Amodei’s proposal a “slap in the face to Nevadans” and promised to fight it. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto called the proposal “insane” and the “single biggest sell-offs of Nevada public lands in history.”
Democrats point out that they had been working on their own bipartisan plan, the Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, which would help Clark County grow while also protecting land for conservation. They say Amodei’s plan ignores this effort.
Native American groups are also worried. Taylor Patterson, who leads the Native Voters Alliance Nevada, said:
“These are not excess acres. These are Native lands. And the people advancing this know exactly what they are doing. This is the same story our people have lived through for generations. Erase us, sell what is left, and pretend it was never ours. But it was. And it still is.”
The Conservative Take
For conservatives who believe in limiting federal power, this plan has some clear benefits. It moves land from federal control to local and private hands. It could create housing and jobs. And it helps pay for tax cuts without adding to the national debt.
Amodei did include a “savings clause” to make sure that money already set aside from previous land sales under the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act won’t be taken away. This shows some effort to protect existing Nevada interests.
What Might Happen Next
This amendment is still part of a larger budget package that needs to pass the full House and Senate. Many political fights lie ahead.
The battle over who controls America’s land – Washington or local communities – is as old as our nation. This Nevada land sale is just the latest chapter in that ongoing story.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
