Interior Department Plan Calls for Public Land Sales

A proposal, not a parcel list

November 12, 2026, 1:45 a.m. Central time.

The Interior Department’s new strategic plan calls for reducing federal land holdings through potential sales to states, tribes and local governments, opening a new fight over the future of public land.

The agency did not identify parcels, locations or the scale of potential sales, the Associated Press reported. The 2026–2030 plan is a statement of the department’s priorities, not an announcement that any particular park or tract has been sold.

Why the administration wants changes

Interior officials said a smaller federal estate would let the government focus resources on lands considered nationally significant, according to AP. The report said the department did not define that term. Officials also said some sale proceeds would be returned to buyers for conservation elsewhere.

The strategy also discusses land transfers and exchanges that could support energy development. Interior manages federal lands and resources used for recreation, conservation, grazing, mining and energy production.

Opposition and legal limits

Former Interior secretary and Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke opposes public-land sales or transfers, his office told AP. Democratic lawmakers also said they would resist sales. Previous efforts to sell large tracts drew opposition from both parties.

Federal law places limits on disposing of public land, and it remains unclear what the department could accomplish without congressional cooperation, AP reported. The Salt Lake Tribune reported concern from public-land advocates about the strategy.

Timeline

2025: Separate proposals for large land sales stalled amid opposition. November 2026: Interior released its 2026–2030 strategic plan; no specific land parcels were identified in the reporting available.