What Idaho public lands advocates should be watching right now | Opinion

For years, Idahoans have made their position clear: public lands belong in public hands.

But over the next several months, that principle will face a series of tests both in Congress and within several federal agencies that could shape the future of Idaho’s public lands for years to come.

Here’s what we’re watching.

Earlier this month, the House Appropriations Committee approved its FY27 Interior and Environment spending bill. The proposal includes significant cuts to environmental agencies, including a 20% reduction to the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget, and contains dozens of policy riders affecting wildlife, public lands and endangered species protections.

Importantly, this bill is just one piece of the larger FY27 budget process that will play out throughout the summer and fall. As Congress negotiates final spending levels, decisions made in these budget talks will help determine how federal agencies manage public lands, enforce conservation laws, respond to wildfires, and maintain recreation access.

We’re also watching closely as Congress considers funding for Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) and Secure Rural Schools (SRS) programs. These federal payments help support county governments, schools, roads and essential services in rural communities across Idaho. For many counties with large amounts of federal land, PILT and SRS funding remain a critical part of local budgets and economic stability.

For Idaho, these aren’t abstract budget debates. They directly affect our public lands, our wildlife and the rural communities that depend on them.

At the same time, Congress continues to consider the Public Lands in Public Hands Act, bipartisan legislation led by our own Rep. Simpson intends to prevent large-scale sales of federal public lands.

With recurring proposals to transfer or dispose of federal lands surfacing in Congress, this legislation represents an important opportunity to put stronger safeguards around public land ownership.

The legislation is currently sitting in the House Committee on Agriculture.

Idaho’s roadless areas protect millions of acres of backcountry habitat and recreation opportunities. In 2025, the USDA submitted its notice of intent to repeal the roadless rule which was followed by a public comment process that ran through Sept. 19, 2025. We are currently waiting for the USDA to respond with an updated proposal and accompanying draft environmental impact statement (EIS), along with a request for additional public comments.

While Idaho has its own state-specific Roadless Rule, it still exists within a broader federal framework. Any effort to weaken national roadless protections could have implications for how these landscapes are managed in the future.

Perhaps most importantly, Idaho’s congressional delegation will play a central role in many of these decisions.

Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo have repeatedly stated their opposition to public land sales, with Risch calling public lands a “98% issue” in Idaho. Simpson, who chairs the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, is helping shape many of the funding and policy decisions moving through Congress. Rep. Russ Fulcher continues to advocate for greater state control of federal lands.

In the coming months, Idahoans will have an opportunity to see how those positions translate into votes, negotiations and policy outcomes.

The next few months won’t be defined by one single public lands fight.

Instead, we’ll see a series of decisions about budgets, wildlife protections, permitting, agency structure and land management authority that collectively determine the future of Idaho’s public lands.

At Conservation Voters for Idaho, we’ll be tracking these developments closely and continuing to advocate for a simple principle that Idahoans overwhelmingly support:

Public lands should remain in public hands.

Alexis Pickering is the executive director of Conservation Voters for Idaho, an Idaho non-profit protecting public lands, energy independence, and access to free and fair elections. Originally from Kooskia and a wildland firefighter, she is a proud defender of public lands and managing them responsibly for generations to come.