A public land grab may be brewing in some of the last great U.S. wilderness areas.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill (HR4241) which among other things, seems to open up the sale of public lands to developers and other interests. The action reverses a 30-year Congressional mandate that public lands remain in public ownership. Specifically, certain portions of the House bill address arcane mining rights issues, facilitating the sale of federal land tracts managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

Much of this appears to focus on western states, comprising a lot of elk country and freshwater trout streams.

The National Wildlife Federation, Izaak Walton League of America, Trout Unlimited and other conservation groups called the House move a "smash and grab" proposal.

The bill passed by a narrow margin of 217 votes to 215, pretty much split right down the party line. All Democratic Representatives were joined by 14 Republicans and one Independent in opposing the bill.

The legislation, a Budget Reconciliation Act, covered a broad array of issues, pertaining to budget considerations for agriculture, education, energy, judiciary, transportation and other functions. You can read more about the Bill at www.house.gov. To follow National Wildlife Federation activism on this and other issues, visit www.nwf.org