The U.S. Senate is considering the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which would mandate the sale of millions of acres of our national public lands. It gives the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture sweeping authority to decide which lands to sell — putting iconic places at risk across the country.

According to the Wilderness Society, in Colorado alone over 9 million acres of National Forest could be targeted. Wilderness Study Areas, critical wildlife habitat, wildlife migration corridors – including lands ESWA advocates for inclusion in the CORE Act and lands adjacent to our Wilderness Areas that we have called to be added to our Wilderness Areas – are all up for sale. Even ski areas! While officially designated Wilderness is exempt, lands that surround and buffer Wilderness Areas are not. Development of these buffer zones would have devastating impacts on wildlife, ecosystems, and outdoor recreation.

The bill is being marketed as a solution to the housing crisis, but in reality, it opens the door to luxury vacation homes and high-end developments. After just 10 years, these lands could be repurposed for any use — even industrial development or resorts.

It also weakens the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), speeds up the land sale process, eliminates public input, and lets developers pay to bypass judicial review — giving corporations a fast track to profit with no accountability.

At Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance, we don’t often flood your inbox with action alerts — but this bill directly threatens Colorado’s public lands and our four Wilderness Areas.

Please share this with friends outside of Colorado who also want to protect our wild lands.

Thank you!