By Benjamin Alva Polley EBS COLUMNIST
This past June, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) attempted—and failed—to privatize 3.5 million acres of federally managed and protected public lands. This deeply unpopular proposal was rejected by a clear majority of Americans, most of whom cherish these lands for hunting, fishing and recreation. However, rather than respecting the will of the people, Lee—chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources—introduced a dangerous new bill that threatens the future of our wild places. The bill, dubbed the Border Lands Conservation Act (S. 2967), would allow the Department of Homeland Security to override decades of protection afforded by the Wilderness Act on lands within 100 miles of our borders, sanctioning the construction of roads, surveillance towers, fences, and bridges into once-pristine backcountry.
Proponents claim this overreach is necessary for national security, yet conservation groups and millions of Americans see the truth: this legislation is a thinly veiled attack on our public lands. By granting DHS the power to overrule federal safeguards—including the landmark Wilderness Act of 1964—this bill would permit unchecked development across millions of wilderness acres. “Tactical infrastructure,” as defined in the bill, includes observation points, remote surveillance, vehicle barriers and even roads and airports within lands meant to remain unspoiled.
Supporters argue that such extreme measures are needed to combat “border chaos” and stem environmental harm from illegal immigration. However, these justifications overlook existing authority: DHS already possesses robust powers under the Real ID Act and through agreements with land agencies to address legitimate security threats. This bill is not about security—it’s about using fear to erode protections and advance a longstanding agenda against public lands.
The consequences would be devastating. Opening the door for roads and industrial infrastructure would shatter wildlife habitats, trample rare ecosystems and forever erase the promise of wildness these places hold. From Glacier National Park, the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the North Cascades, Frank Church Wilderness and the Boundary Waters, millions of acres—including parts of our own cherished Lee Metcalf Wilderness—would be at risk. Once roads and machines fragment these wild sanctuaries, they cannot be restored.
Make no mistake—this is a betrayal of Americans’ heritage and values. Our forests and open spaces face a greater threat from reckless policies and profit-driven interests than any outside adversary. Unlike wildfires or beetle infestations, the destruction Lee is championing is deliberate and permanent. It would accelerate climate change, destroy critical wildlife habitat, and poison the clean air and water generations have relied on.
Our public lands are not commodities to be sold off to billionaires and corporations focused solely on profits. If we allow this bill to pass, these lands—our lands—could be lost forever. Please stand up, speak out and help defend our wild inheritance before it is gone.
Benjamin Alva Polley is a place-based storyteller whose work has appeared in publications such as Rolling Stone, Esquire, Field & Stream, The Guardian, Men’s Journal, Outside, Popular Science, and Sierra. More of his writing can be found on his website.
