Ian Brickey, ian.brickey@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, the Department of the Interior and the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced joint plans to explore repurposing federal public lands for residential development.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and HUD Secretary Scott Turner proposed the joint effort in an op-ed published Sunday in the Wall Street Journal. Both cabinet members pointed to slashing environmental reviews and transfer protocols, presented as “reducing bureaucracy,” as essential to taking on the affordable housing crisis. The two departments announced a joint task force on Monday to begin the study process.
Many of Donald Trump’s actions on public lands since his return to power have involved removing protections for public lands across the country to boost oil and gas development. At the same time, Trump and billionaire Elon Musk have spent the last several weeks orchestrating mass firings of federal workers, including those at DOI and HUD who would implement any effort regarding housing on public lands.
In response, Athan Manuel, director of Sierra Club’s Lands Protection Program, released the following statement:
“The Trump administration can say what it wants in the media, but actions speak louder than words. Since January 20, we’ve seen numerous attempts to give away our public lands to corporate polluters and billionaires, and the mass firing of federal workers, from the Bureau of Land Management to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, two agencies that would be critical in a sincere attempt to address the housing crisis. Donald Trump has made it clear who he thinks should reap the benefits of our public lands, and it’s not the American people.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.