Republicans in Congress are quietly carrying out a plan that's long been part of the GOP platform: giving away public lands to the states. But when lands Americans use to hunt, fish, and camp are transferred to states, these public areas are often developed or sold — because states either don't have the resources to manage it, or are trying to make the most money off of it. This Republican plan threatens to cut off access to wilderness Americans cherish.

Last month, the House of Representatives passed a measure that will make it easier to transfer millions of acres of federal lands to states. In a House rules package, lawmakers basically said that federal lands are worthless and, therefore, transfers to states don't have to take into consideration the billions of dollars in revenue the lands bring to the federal government. Last week, Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) also introduced a bill that would sell over 3 million acres of public lands across 10 states in the Western US, where most public land is concentrated.