When it comes to protecting public lands, Democrats have the strong track record

By Lauren Necochea
Reader Contributor

For generations, Idaho Democrats have protected the places that make this state what it is. We believe our public lands belong to all of us, not just the highest-bidding billionaires. 

Idaho Democratic Sen. Frank Church led the fight to pass the Wilderness Act and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. As Interior Secretary, former-Democratic Gov. Cecil Andrus drove the effort that secured passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, the largest conservation law in U.S. history. 

Today, Democrats like Rep. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, are pushing to keep access from shrinking when state land is sold. Idaho voters back this work.

In contrast, Idaho Republican Rep. Russ Fulcher is trying to end that tradition with his move to put federally managed public lands into state control. Let’s call it what it is: a hoax. An outright sell-off can’t survive public scrutiny, so he’s rebranding the same years-old scheme.

But Idaho can’t afford to take on millions of additional acres. Managing federal public lands in Idaho costs more than $500 million a year, and a severe fire season can drive costs even higher. That includes suppression, roads, enforcement and recreation sites. Without a dedicated, permanent funding stream, pressure mounts to sell land to close the gap.

This is where Idaho’s own history matters. State-owned land is not run like federal public lands. Endowment lands must maximize financial return for specific beneficiaries. That revenue-first mandate puts access at risk.

Since statehood, Idaho has sold off more than 1.7 million acres. Much of that land moved into private ownership, where access becomes optional and the public has little leverage. Look at what happened in Teton County this year. A fifth-generation ranching family had leased and cared for a parcel. The Republican-controlled Land Board decided to sell it after a wealthy newcomer set his sights on it.

An overwhelming majority of Idahoans oppose selling public lands, but there are dissenters. A decade ago, I gave a budget presentation where a man with a far-right outlook asked why Idaho didn’t just sell land to fund basic services. He had just moved here. He didn’t value our access for hunting, fishing and recreation. He was willing to trade permanent loss for one-time dollars.

Fulcher’s congressional record lines up with that fringe view. He supported Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee’s amendment tied to selling off thousands of acres of federal public land earlier this year. He refuses to join bipartisan efforts that block major federal land sales or transfers.

Public lands power rural communities, keep agriculture working, provide grazing space for ranches and protect our water. Idaho Democrats will keep fighting for better management without surrendering access. 

Fulcher’s takeover is a backdoor sell-off. Idaho should demand better stewardship and stronger leadership.

Lauren Necochea is chair of the Idaho Democratic Party and a former District 19 legislator. Necochea spent a decade leading nonprofit programs dedicated to research and advocacy in tax policy, health care and children’s issues.