Murkowski's Federal Land Disposal Amendment Sparks Controversy

Environmentalists are raising alarms over a budget amendment authored by Senator Lisa Murkowski, which they fear could lead to the exploitation of cherished federal landscapes. Murkowski's amendment on federal land disposals was included in a national budget resolution that the Senate passed early this morning. While these amendments do not carry the force of law, they often serve symbolic or political purposes.

Murkowski stated on the Senate floor that her amendment could facilitate state and local land exchanges to create a balanced resource policy. However, she emphasized that the amendment does not, by itself, sell or exchange any specific piece of federal land.

“Any legislation enabled by this spending-neutral reserve fund will have to go through the process and be voted either up or down in regular order,” she said. “But the language does specify what cannot be considered, and that’s any land that’s located within a national park, within a national preserve or a national monument. Those will continue to be protected.”

Kristen Miller, Conservation Director of the Alaska Wilderness League, expressed concern that Murkowski's amendment leaves refuges, national forests, and other lands vulnerable.

“The way the legislation reads, it’s targeted at every single one of our public lands across the country that didn’t fall into the categories explicitly listed, so it’s dangerous everywhere from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge down to, you know, the bottom of Florida,” she said.

Miller noted the uncertainty surrounding the implications of the non-binding measure.

“It’s hard to say. I mean, the amendment was brought to the floor. It was voted on. The way you read it, it seems to encourage for our public lands to be given away, to be transferred, and to be potentially up for sale for development,” she said.

The Senate approved the amendment after Murkowski extended the vote by an additional 10 minutes and persuaded Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, to change her vote. Collins explained to Environment and Energy Daily that she supported it because Murkowski assured her that any future land exchange would require Congressional approval. The budget resolution itself passed with just 52 votes. Although it is not law, it serves as a blueprint for the appropriations process.

Originally Posted By APRN