Arizona Public Lands at the Center of Controversy as Rep. Schweikert Pushes for Privatization
Rep. David Schweikert, a Republican from Arizona, has sparked debate with his proposal to sell off the state’s public lands if he becomes governor. In a podcast interview on March 5, Schweikert shared his vision of transitioning public lands into private ownership, a concept that his financial backers have advocated for over the past three decades.
Arizona is home to approximately 30 million acres of public land, accounting for around half of the state’s total area. These lands, often used as parks or protected forests, have attracted interest from large corporations eyeing opportunities for oil, gas development, and high-end real estate.
Schweikert remarked, “The state just has to sort of set a rational, fair way to get these [lands] in private hands so we actually have economic opportunity.”
However, this proposal has met with opposition from the Arizona Wildlife Federation, a nonprofit focused on land conservation. The organization warns that such actions could disrupt wildlife and harm the state’s tourism industry.
“Pressures to maximize revenues or monetize these lands result in fragmented habitats that no longer provide the necessary connections and corridors, or sufficient food, water, and shelter for wildlife,” the group states on its website. “Once developed, there’s no turning back.”
Notable supporters of the privatization initiative include Koch Industries and the National Association of Realtors, both of which have significantly funded Schweikert’s political career since his initial campaign for the Arizona House of Representatives in 1994. The National Association of Realtors has contributed $65,000, while Koch Industries has provided over $42,000.
During his congressional tenure, Schweikert has consistently voted against measures to safeguard public lands from private enterprise, including three votes against the Protect America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act. This legislation aimed to protect federal lands across several states, including Arizona, from resource extraction but was ultimately halted in the Senate.
In the past, Schweikert has also voted against bans on mining in protected areas and opposed amendments that would prevent the sale or lease of public lands to private entities.
Schweikert is currently running against Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs and fellow Republican Rep. Andy Biggs in the gubernatorial race. Hobbs, an advocate for land conservation, has publicly opposed similar provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), which suggested selling millions of acres of public lands in the West.
“Arizona is not for sale,” Hobbs asserted on Facebook. “The plan to sell public lands threatens over 14 million acres in Arizona, including treasured places like Mount Lemmon, Sabino Canyon, the sacred San Francisco Peaks, Horton Creek along the Mogollon Rim, Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Saguaro Lake, and Madera Canyon is reckless, shortsighted, and deeply out of step with Arizonans’ values.”
Schweikert, however, remains a staunch supporter of the OBBB. According to a poll conducted by Colorado College, nearly three-in-five Arizona voters opposed the law’s rollback of land protections.
