A case in point. WA neighbor, the state of Idaho already has a history of selling its public lands. Nearly one third of the lands given to Idaho at statehood have been sold, resulting in back country skiers, hikers, hunters, and fishermen losing access to more than a million acres. Some of these lands have ended up being used for private hunting/fishing preserves for wealthy out of state visitors.

Now many have blamed former President Obama, BLM, and the EPA for blocking public usage (typically targeting energy extraction, grazing rights and mining) of federally managed public lands by extending and establishing National Monuments. However if states take-over the management of US public lands, the access situation would get much worse. Though Rep. Ryan Zinke has actively opposed many such transfers, it remains to be seen if the presumed new Interior Secretary can stop the GOP-backed plan to transfer federal public lands to the states essentially for free. We will need to watch this.