Republicans back off bill to sell 3.3m acres of public land after outcry
by Caty Enders from Environment | The Guardian on (#2B89H)
Congressman Jason Chaffetz withdraws House bill 621 as conservationists and outdoorsmen vow to continue fight over similar legislation
In the small hours of Thursday morning, US congressman Jason Chaffetz announced that he would withdraw a bill he introduced last week that would have ordered the incoming secretary of the interior to immediately sell off 3.3m acres of national land.
Chaffetz, a representative from Utah, wrote on Instagram that he had a change of heart in the face of strong opposition from "groups I support and care about" who, he said, "fear it sends the wrong message".
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