PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2025
Even those who aren’t outdoorsy can appreciate time outside, so you might be shocked to learn that some politicians in Washington are trying to make such experiences less accessible. Being a conservative Republican, there’s a lot for me to like in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, but there’s nothing beautiful about the portion of this bill which would allow the government to sell public lands. Out West, public land is key to livelihood and quality of life in many communities. The precious few federal lands in Maine include some of the finest in the world, including Acadia and Katahdin Woods and Waters. Keeping our great American public lands in public hands should be important wherever you live. Selling off our nation’s great natural heritage could open the door for Congress to sell public lands whenever it feels like it. If that happens, a fundamental building block of American greatness will have been ground into dust. Once these lands are sold, they are gone. ~ Steve Trafton, Hallowell