Bill · H.R. 775· House(119-HR-775)
No Net Gain in Federal Lands Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 1/28/2025
- Last activity
- 1/28/2025 — Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Sponsored by
- Harriet Hageman
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "No Net Gain in Federal Lands Act of 2025" aims to prevent the federal government from increasing its land ownership in any given fiscal year. It mandates that the number of acres acquired by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture in a State cannot exceed the amount of land disposed of in that same State. To manage this, the Secretary must conduct an annual inventory of all Federal land and interests held by these agencies. If the government acquires more land than it disposes of, the President must convey sufficient land to the State to bring the totals into compliance. This process must be completed within 24 months of the determination.
Yes· 3 of 6
Does this leave more decisions to the states?+5
The bill requires the federal government to convey land to states to ensure no net gain in federal ownership.
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?+2
The bill mandates the disposal of federal land to prevent net increases in federal land ownership.
Would business owners be better off under this?+2
Land disposal to states may increase opportunities for private land use and resource development.
The opposite
Would Native Americans be better off under this?-3
The bill's land disposal mandates may affect lands held in trust or adjacent to tribal territories.
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?-3
The bill bypasses National Environmental Policy Act requirements for certain land conveyances, potentially reducing environmental oversight.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Land Conveyance for States: If the federal government acquires more land than it gives up, the President is required to convey sufficient Federal land to the State to ensure there is no net gain (Section 2(c)(1)).
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Streamlined Land Transfer: A conveyance of land to a State under this act will not be considered a major Federal action for the purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act of s 102(2)(C) (Section 2(c)(2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Mandatory Land Disposal: The bill restricts the ability of the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture to acquire new land if they have not disposed of enough land in that State during the fiscal year (Section 2(a)(1)).
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Strict Accounting Requirements: The Secretary is required to perform a detailed annual inventory of all Federal land and interests, categorized by type and location, which may include lands, waters, and easements (Section 2(b)(1)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Increase States Rights+5
- Economy And Finance
- Reduces Government Spending+2
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Business Owners+2Good For Rural Residents+2Good For Native Americans-3
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+2Improves Environmental Protections-3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Affordable Housing+1
- 1/28/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House