“Flood the Lines” Public Lands Day

“Flood the Lines” Public Lands Day

A faction in Congress, led by Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah, wants to steal your public lands–the pristine places you fish, hunt and recreate–then sell them to the highest bidder.

SAY NO.

What can you do?

Take Action TODAY With Backcountry Hunters & Anglers 

“Flood the Lines” Day: Wednesday, June 25th

In response to the looming threat, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) is organizing a nationwide mobilization on Wednesday, June 25th, called “Flood the Lines.”

“The Senate wants to sell off up to 3.2 million acres of OUR public lands–lands that belong to the American people. This isn’t a housing solution. It’s a land grab. And on June 25th, we’re standing united to stop it.

As part of our United We Stand for Public Lands campaign, BHA is calling on 25,000 public land owners to take action in a single day.”

For supporters who’ve already taken action to contact their elected officials and ask, “What else can I do?” BHA’s answer is simple.

“Do it again–call again, send another email, share impact stories across social media, engage your friends and family who may not be aware. Keep going until we win.”

America’s Best Idea

"It has been said that the creation of public lands is one of America’s best original ideas. Unlike the rest of the world, Americans have joint ownership of 640 million acres of federal land to recreate in without asking permission of anyone.

Nowhere else in the world is this true.

Now a faction in Congress wants to put more than a third of this on the chopping block to generate revenue. But as Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke says, once it’s gone, it’s gone.

It is a spectacularly wrong-headed idea, now endorsed by the beltway-minded Editorial Board, which seems to have taken leave of its senses. Selling our land to temporarily plug a persistent structural deficit that a profligate Congress refuses to address cannot be the answer.

The Editorial Board’s justification is supposedly that private owners can manage better than the “poor steward” of government agencies. Sure, there have been missteps in forest management and in other instances, but the remedy is to fix agency policy, not sell my land.”

Jon Christiansen, Trout Unlimited (former) General Counsel

This is a Fraudulent Scheme

“This isn’t about budget reconciliation or affordable housing. This is a fraudulent scheme to swindle American citizens out of our shared legacy. Our public lands are not disposable assets and the gaslighting campaign claiming this is somehow a solution to a housing crisis is an insult to all of us. Our lands are the physical inheritance of generations of Americans who fought to keep public lands in public hands. We owe it to those who had the vision to create this irreplaceable American ideal–and to those who stand to benefit from our stewardship–to tell our elected officials: united we stand for public lands.”

Patrick Berry, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers President and CEO

Public Lands are the Cornerstone of America’s Rich Conservation Legacy

“The Senate is considering a bill that could allow for the sale of several million acres of our shared public lands. These lands are the cornerstone of America’s rich conservation legacy. They support high paying family wage jobs. They are the sources of the finest fish and wildlife habitat and fishing and hunting in the nation. They represent most of the land that any of us will ever own, and importantly, pass on to our kids and grandkids. The misguided and dark-of-night inclusion of public land sales in the Senate bill is an affront to common sense and a direct threat to America’s land legacy. Public lands are the backyard of the little guy, and the Senate bill will put them on the chopping block for the rich to erect fences and no trespassing signs.”

Chris Wood, Trout Unlimited President and CEO

A Spectacularly Stupid Idea

“My friend Chris Wood, the CEO of Trout Unlimited says it’s like playing Whack-a-Mole. Every several years, the specter of selling off public lands rears its ugly head, and every time thus far, thankfully, the notion is beaten back when people realize:

• Outdoor recreation is equal in size or greater than oil and gas drilling as an economic driver, and most of that happens on public land. In other words, we’re ALREADY utilizing those lands for benefit in a way that is sustainable.
• The money that might be raised by selling off public lands is a drop in the bucket (relative to the national debt), and not a realistic solution for any budget crisis.
• The majority of Americans not only appreciate their public lands, they’re also proud to have them. And they know that once they’re gone, they’re gone.

To Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), who’s spearheading the latest effort to sell off 3 million acres in the West, it’s a spectacularly stupid idea that makes the average hunter, shooter, angler, hiker, biker, skier, paddler and many others wonder where the motivation comes from.”

Kirk Deeter, Editor Trout, Flylab Founder