Interior plan would offer some federal land to states and tribes, shrinking holdings

The Interior Department released a five-year strategic plan on Tuesday, Nov. 10, that calls for selling some federal land. The plan covers fiscal years 2026 to 2030 and runs 28 pages ¹. It says the department will work to "decrease the size of the federal estate" ¹².

Under the plan, federal land would be offered for purchase to state, local and tribal governments. Buyers would get a share of the sale money and would have to use it for conservation ². Interior says proceeds from land it does not consider "nationally significant" would also pay for conservation purchases elsewhere and better recreation access ¹.

The plan does not name any parcels or give a timeline ². Interior manages more than 750,000 square miles of federal land in the West and Alaska. The federal government owns 64% of Utah, 62% of Idaho and 80% of Nevada ².

What else is in the plan

The plan also calls for consolidating the public lands workforce ². It promotes agreements with energy developers, mining companies, timber operators and ranchers ². The administration is also weighing at least a dozen data center projects on public land, which could affect at least 17,600 acres in the West ¹.

The same day, the Bureau of Land Management proposed a rule to end the 90-day public comment period for major resource management plans. Comments are open through Jan. 11, 2027 ¹.

Who said what

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the approach at a Utah event on Wednesday. "We're in the business of access," he told Deseret News ².

Democrats objected. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada said she is "prepared to fight" the proposal and is "concerned by the lack of details in this new plan" ². Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico will chair the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the new Congress ².

Public lands belong in public hands.

Outdoor groups also raised alarms. Ryan Callaghan, president and CEO of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, said the plan "flies in the face of overwhelming positive appreciation and sentiment for America's public lands" ¹. Kate Groetzinger of the Center for Western Priorities said the plan goes beyond Project 2025, the conservative policy blueprint, by recommending land sell-offs ².

At every turn, the plan prioritizes extraction over conservation

What happens next

The plan is a statement of priorities, not a list of sales. Without parcels or dates, it is unclear what would be sold, to whom or when. Cortez Masto's complaint is about exactly that gap ².

That matters because Democrats take over Senate committee gavels in January, and Heinrich will lead the committee that oversees public lands ². Land sales could become an early oversight fight.

The plan also arrives after months of opposition from environmental groups to the administration's land moves. Those include shrinking the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments in southeastern Utah ².

The Record

1. Nov 10, 2026Interior releases a 28-page strategic plan for fiscal years 2026-2030 that says the department will work to decrease the size of the federal estate ¹.
2. Nov 10, 2026The Bureau of Land Management proposes ending the 90-day public comment period for major resource management plans ¹.
3. Nov 11, 2026Burgum tells Deseret News in Utah, "We're in the business of access" ².

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<h2>Interior plan would offer some federal land to states and tribes, shrinking holdings</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files National Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/interior-plan-would-offer-some-federal-land-to-states-and-tribes-shrinking-holdings">The GOP Files</a> on Thursday, November 12, 2026.</em></p> <p>The Interior Department released a five-year strategic plan on Tuesday, Nov. 10, that calls for selling some federal land. The plan covers fiscal years 2026 to 2030 and runs 28 pages . It says the department will work to &quot;decrease the size of the federal estate&quot; .</p> <p>Under the plan, federal land would be offered for purchase to state, local and tribal governments. Buyers would get a share of the sale money and would have to use it for conservation . Interior says proceeds from land it does not consider &quot;nationally significant&quot; would also pay for conservation purchases elsewhere and better recreation access .</p> <p>The plan does not name any parcels or give a timeline . Interior manages more than 750,000 square miles of federal land in the West and Alaska. The federal government owns 64% of Utah, 62% of Idaho and 80% of Nevada .</p> <h2>What else is in the plan</h2> <p>The plan also calls for consolidating the public lands workforce . It promotes agreements with energy developers, mining companies, timber operators and ranchers . The administration is also weighing at least a dozen data center projects on public land, which could affect at least 17,600 acres in the West .</p> <p>The same day, the Bureau of Land Management proposed a rule to end the 90-day public comment period for major resource management plans. Comments are open through Jan. 11, 2027 .</p> <h2>Who said what</h2> <p>Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the approach at a Utah event on Wednesday. &quot;We&#39;re in the business of access,&quot; he told Deseret News .</p> <p>Democrats objected. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada said she is &quot;prepared to fight&quot; the proposal and is &quot;concerned by the lack of details in this new plan&quot; . Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico will chair the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the new Congress .</p> <blockquote><p>Public lands belong in public hands.</p><p>&mdash; Martin Heinrich, U.S. senator, Democrat-New Mexico, incoming chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee</p></blockquote> <p>Outdoor groups also raised alarms. Ryan Callaghan, president and CEO of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, said the plan &quot;flies in the face of overwhelming positive appreciation and sentiment for America&#39;s public lands&quot; . Kate Groetzinger of the Center for Western Priorities said the plan goes beyond Project 2025, the conservative policy blueprint, by recommending land sell-offs .</p> <blockquote><p>At every turn, the plan prioritizes extraction over conservation</p><p>&mdash; Kate Groetzinger, communications director, Center for Western Priorities</p></blockquote> <h2>What happens next</h2> <p>The plan is a statement of priorities, not a list of sales. Without parcels or dates, it is unclear what would be sold, to whom or when. Cortez Masto&#39;s complaint is about exactly that gap .</p> <p>That matters because Democrats take over Senate committee gavels in January, and Heinrich will lead the committee that oversees public lands . Land sales could become an early oversight fight.</p> <p>The plan also arrives after months of opposition from environmental groups to the administration&#39;s land moves. Those include shrinking the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments in southeastern Utah .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/interior-plan-would-offer-some-federal-land-to-states-and-tribes-shrinking-holdings">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/interior-plan-would-offer-some-federal-land-to-states-and-tribes-shrinking-holdings.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. Outdoor Life, “'Pillaging Our Public Lands for AI Data Centers.' Interior Lays Out New Plan to Sell Public Lands, Shrink Federal Workforce, and Ramp Up Development” (2026-11-11). outdoorlife.com/conservation/interior-strategic-plan-public-
2. Deseret News, “Trump admin proposes sale of federal lands. What does that really mean?” (2026-11-11). deseret.com/environment/2026/11/11/trump-administration-plan

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