GOP budget plan could trigger sale of Oregon public lands

The big picture: The Republican-led proposal would require the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, which oversee vast swaths of public land, to put up to 3.3 million acres on the market for housing development.

• The bill's focus is on parcels outside of protected lands (like national parks, monuments or wilderness areas, which are exempt) but near roads and other development deemed suitable by local and state lawmakers.
• The Wilderness Society estimates more than 250 million acres across 11 Western states could be eligible for sale.

Follow the money: The majority of proceeds from the potential sale of those public lands — estimated to bring in between $5 billion and $10 billion over the next decade — would go to the U.S. Treasury, while 5% would go to local governments.

Yes, but: A recent Headwaters Economics report found only a small percentage (less than 2%) of public lands in the West near towns with increased housing demand are practical for development, and could be complicated due to high wildfire risk.

What they're saying: "There are no do-overs when it comes to selling off public lands. Once they're sold, they're lost forever," U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) told Axios in a written statement.

• Wyden said his bipartisan legislation to expand the low-income housing tax credit would spur more affordable development, "but this proposed Republican yard sale of natural treasures is a non-starter."

Zoom in: Oregon needs to build 500,000 more housing units in the next two decades in order to emerge from its housing shortage, according to the state's own estimates.

What's next: The Senate has until July 4 to vote on the budget reconciliation bill, which includes the land-sale provision.