The Interior Department has unveiled a strategic plan for 2026 through 2030 that includes selling off portions of the federal estate to states, local governments, and Tribes. The department says the move will allow it to concentrate on core federal duties and lands of national significance.
Under the plan, a share of the revenue from these sales could be returned to the buyer for conservation projects elsewhere within the state, locality, or Tribal territory. The department argues this would enhance recreational access for Americans while reducing the financial burden on federal taxpayers for land management.
Critics warn that the sales could lead to public lands ending up in private hands. Kate Groetzinger, communications director at the Center for Western Priorities, noted that once states, localities, or Tribes acquire the land, they are free to sell it to private developers. She emphasized that public lands are central to Western culture and lifestyle, and that the parcels most attractive to developers are often those near communities—precisely the areas people use most for recreation.
The proposal echoes a similar effort by Senate Republicans last year to include public land sales in President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, which was ultimately stripped out after bipartisan opposition.
In addition to land sales, the strategic plan calls for consolidating the department's workforce. The plan does not specify what this consolidation entails, and department spokespeople did not respond to inquiries about potential layoffs or the land sales themselves.
The workforce consolidation comes amid reports that the administration is considering a realignment of the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. According to The Washington Post, this could involve changes to duty stations, meaning staffers might be reassigned to different locations. A recent Fish and Wildlife Service report also recommends cutting headquarters and regional office staff to reallocate positions to wildlife refuge operations.
The plan has already drawn scrutiny from conservationists and lawmakers who fear it could undermine protections for public lands and disrupt the agencies that manage them. As the administration moves forward, the details of the land sales and workforce changes will be closely watched.
