A Leap forward Endangered frogs hit survival milestone
By
PORTLAND, Ore., and EATONVILLE, Wash. — For the first time, biologists have documented zoo-reared northern leopard frogs surviving a winter in the wild at the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge in Eastern Washington — despite the presence of invasive American bullfrogs that nearly wiped them out.
Thanks to targeted bullfrog control, some of the northern leopard frogs released last August by the Oregon Zoo and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park are surviving, an important turning point in the recovery of this endangered species.
“This is great news,” said Jen Osburn Eliot, who oversees the Oregon Zoo’s frog-rearing efforts. “We care for these frogs at the zoo until they’re big enough to return to the wild, but without e orts to control the invasive bullfrog population they wouldn’t survive. This is a strong indicator that those efforts are working.”
"This is a major milestone for our e ort to save northern leopard frogs in Washington,” said Marc Heinzman, conservation manager at Northwest Trek. “Caring for and protecting nature is work that must be done collaboratively to succeed, and this project shows we can make a real impact when we work together.”
While it’s good news that the frogs survived the winter,
there’s still work to be done.
“Reintroductions like this are notoriously challenging, and there’s no guarantee of success,” said Patricia Valcarcel, a herpetologist at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
“But these first documented survivors represent hope for the recovery of the species.”
According to Valcarcel, wildlife o cials are continuing to coordinate on bullfrog control e orts and improving bullfrog and predator assessments when screening potential new release sites.
“This is a reminder of how much an invasive species can a ect native wildlife,” Valcarcel said. “We need to keep working together to get bullfrog numbers down and northern
leopard frog numbers up.”
Once abundant throughout North America, northern leopard frogs are rapidly disappearing from their native ranges in Washington, Oregon and western Canada. In Washington,
where the zoo-reared froglets were found, the species has been listed as endangered since 1999 and only one known population remains.
The American bullfrog, native to the eastern United States but considered invasive here, is the largest frog species on the continent. It can tip the scales at more than a pound and has been driving northern leopard frogs and a host of other small, vulnerable aquatic species to FROGS, 5
Cruiser athletes honored in 2A SPSL AllLeague awards
By Skip Smith Contributing Writer
The 2A South Puget Sound League released its list of spring All-League award winners, recognizing student-athletes and coaches who delivered standout performances across the season. From track to fastpitch, baseball to tennis, the honors highlight the depth of talent that came through in big moments this spring.
■ Track and field had some of the league’s most consistent competitors this season. Ethan Carter and Kelani Monserrate earned First Team honors after turning in strong performances meet after meet. Whether it was on the track or in field events, both athletes were leaders for their teams and kept racking up results. Ava Tatro was named to the Second Team, showing her versatility and reliability throughout the season. Her hard work didn’t go unnoticed by coaches around the league.
■ Fastpitch saw a spread of talent earn recognition. Grace Field (infield) and Kaitlynn Kenney (outfield) were named to the Second Team for their steady contributions on both o ense and defense. Honorable Mentions went to Ava Tvedt, Amy Tozer, and Morgan Laird, who each made key impacts in di erent roles. Whether it was making tough plays in the field or coming through at the plate, this group gave their teams a boost all season long.
■ Baseball’s Second Team included Ethan Evans at first base and Ben Smith at third base. Both players were key pieces for their teams—Evans with his glove and bat, Smith with steady play at the corner and leadership on the field. Honorable Mentions went to Santiago Ruvalcaba, Brody Thirtyacre, and Colton Herbrand, all of whom stepped up in big ways. Their energy and execution helped keep their teams competitive down the stretch.
■ The girls tennis team had a season packed with highlights, and the All-League list shows it. Head coach Alex Christensen was named Coach of the Year after guiding his squad to an impressive campaign. Bailey Andersen took home Singles Player of the Year, a well-earned award after a dominant season. Amelia Ferreira landed on the Second Team Singles list, adding to the team’s overall recognition. In doubles play, two pairs earned First Team honors: Lillian Bickford and Alayna Meyer, along with Tia Schanbeck and Tierney Amaral. Both duos delivered key wins and brought great chemistry to the court. Isabel Volk and Megan Blake were recognized on the Second Team Doubles, rounding out a team that showed both depth and talent all season.
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
PHOTOS COURTESY NORTHWEST TREK WILDLIFE PARK
FIND IT FAST SERVICE DIRECTORY
Your Pierce County Library card is more than just a way to check out books—it’s your free ticket to a wide range of services that support learning, creativity, entertainment, and community connection. Here are some of the best alternative ways to use it:
1. Stream Movies, TV Shows & Music
With your library card, you can enjoy thousands of movies, documentaries, and music albums through Hoopla and Kanopy—streaming platforms with no ads, no subscriptions, and no cost.
2. Learn a Language or Tech Skill Use free resources like Mango Languages and LinkedIn Learning to build new skills, whether you’re learning French, improving Excel, or exploring graphic design.
3. Get Free Access to Online Tutoring Students can access HelpNow for live homework help, writing feedback, math support, and test prep—available daily and free with your card.
4. Mobile Printing from Anywhere
Mobile printing can be done from your web browser on your own computer or device, or even from home with an internet connection.
Prints are limited to 8.5 x 11” paper, and customers will receive $5.00 in free prints per week (50 black and white; 10 color). The cost per page is 10¢ for black and white and 50¢ for color.
Some locations are currently not accepting any form of payment for printing.
5. Access Premium Research Tools
Your card gives you access to valuable databases like Consumer Reports, HeritageQuest, and full-text newspaper archives to help with product reviews, genealogy research, and current events.
6. Join Free Events, Classes & Book Clubs
From author readings and art workshops to business talks and family programs, Pierce County Library o ers dozens of free in-person and virtual events for all ages.
7. Read Digital Magazines & Newspapers
With Libby and PressReader, you can read current and past issues of National Geographic, The New Yorker, USA Today, and many others—on your phone, tablet, or computer.
8. Explore Washington with a Free Park Backpack
With the Check Out Washington program, you can borrow a backpack loaded with binoculars, field guides, and a Discover Pass for free day-use access to Washington State Parks and public lands.
9. Use Reciprocal Library Agreements
Your card may be valid at nearby library systems, including Tacoma Public Library, Puyallup Public Library, and others in Washington. These agreements let you borrow books and use services across multiple systems.
The Best Part? It’s All Free
If you're a Pierce County resident, a library card is completely free—and opens the door to more than just books. Visit www.piercecountylibrary.org or your local branch to get started today.
Annual subscription price is $26 per year. To subscribe to the Dispatch, or to report a delivery problem, call 206 461 1300 ext. 2 or email the circulation department at ppccirc@pacificpublishingcompany.com
206-461-1300 ext 305 ppcadmanager@pacificpublishingcompany.
Library
The Friends of the Eatonville Library operates as a fundraising group to assist the Eatonville community. Primarily, it does so by accepting books and other donations and conducting book sales during the year. All of the funds are used to supplement the various library programs that enrich the local community.
To learn more about the group, contact Mike Eaton at 253-310–7709 or reach him in person at the library any Friday. There is no obligation. Application forms to join the organization are available at the library.
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Savvy Senior: What is a spousal IRA?
Dear Savvy Senior,
What can you tell me about spousal IRAs? My spouse and I are in our 50s and are looking for ways to boost our retirement savings. My wife is a homemaker and caregiver, and works part-time too, but her income is very small.
Need a Boost
Dear Need, Saving for retirement can be very difficult for married spouses who stay home to care for family or otherwise have scant income.
But there is a littleknown tax break o ered by the Internal Revenue Service – known as a spousal IRA – that can help them, and their partner save for retirement.
Spousal individual retirement accounts allow a working spouse to contribute to a nonworking or low-earning spouse’s retirement savings.
They can be set up as a traditional IRA or Roth IRA, which allow couples to save for retirement on a tax-deferred or tax-free basis.
HOW THEY WORK
A spousal IRA isn’t a unique type of IRA or a joint account, but instead it is a separate IRA opened and owned in the name of the nonworking or
low-income earning spouse.
This will not only help boost your family’s overall retirement savings, but it provides non-working/ low-earning spouses access to their own funds in an unforeseen event like the death of their spouse, divorce, or illness.
To qualify for a spousal IRA, spouses must file taxes jointly as a married couple, and the working spouse must have enough earned income (taxable income such as wages, salary, bonuses, commissions, and self-employment income) to cover contributions for both parties.
The process of opening a spousal IRA is also no di erent from opening a regular IRA. Brokerage firms and many banks and other financial institutions o er IRAs.
In 2025, each spouse under age 50 can contribute up to $7,000 annually to an IRA, or $8,000 annually for those over age 50, but the total contribution can’t exceed the taxable earned income reported on the couple’s tax return. Otherwise, the IRS limits contributions based on their earned income.
ROTH OR TRADITIONAL?
Deciding whether to open a Roth or traditional IRA depends on your tax situation and financial goals.
Traditional IRA contributions typically are tax deductible the year in which
they are made and are beneficial during high-income earning years. Contributions grow tax-free until they are withdrawn during retirement.
Roth IRA contributions aren’t tax deductible the year in which they are made, but qualified contributions plus any earnings grow tax-free and are withdrawn tax-free in retirement as long as the couple follows IRS rules.
Among them: you must be 59½ and have held your Roth IRA for at least five years before you withdraw investment earnings taxfree and penalty-free.
There are also penalties for withdrawals on traditional IRAs before age 59½ unless the owner qualifies for an exception, and he or she must begin taking the annual withdrawals known as required minimum distributions from these plans the year he or she turns 73 (or 75 beginning in 2033).
Roth IRAs don’t require RMDs until after the death of the owner. However, beneficiaries of a Roth IRA generally will need to take RMDs to avoid penalties, although there is an exception for spouses.
For information, visit IRS.gov/retirement-plans/ traditional-and-roth-iras.
Send your questions or comments to questions@ savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.
Keeping seniors, disabled in their homes
without any support at all.
The Pierce County Health and Human Services Committee learned about the growing crisis a ecting homeless older adults and individuals with disabilities.
On June 3, the Pierce County Health and Human Services Committee heard from frontline providers about the growing crisis a ecting older adults and individuals with disabilities experiencing homelessness.
The discussion highlighted a cycle in which vulnerable individuals move between emergency rooms, shelters, and the streets often due to the lack of long-term care and stable housing options.
Providers shared graphic images from the Yakima Avenue Health for All Free Clinic showing severe untreated medical conditions caused by inconsistent access to care. Many residents face long waitlists for subsidized housing or must meet strict vulnerability score criteria to qualify for services. These barriers leave some
From January to May 2025, 404 unhoused patients were discharged from Tacoma General and Allenmore hospitals. Many remained hospitalized longer than needed simply because they had nowhere else to go and were eventually released back onto the streets.
“This includes elderly and disabled community members, many of whom become unhoused after losing a partner, facing medical complications, or incurring medical debt,” said Council Chair Jani Hitchen (District 6). “While every unhoused person is a tragedy, it is especially frustrating when someone over the age of 60 is discharged from a hospital with no safe place to go. It is simply wrong.”
The committee emphasized the importance of federal and state funding, particularly the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant and the Mental Health Block Grant, which are essential to maintaining
the county’s behavioral health and crisis response systems. These programs intersect directly with housing strategies, o ering critical support for people facing complex mental health and substance use challenges that often accompany or contribute to homelessness.
The panel also included an update from Rebuilding Together South Sound, a nonprofit that helps seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families stay in their homes through critical repairs and modifications. The organization plays a key role in the county’s broader e ort to prevent homelessness before it starts by preserving existing housing and reducing the risk of displacement.
As Pierce County enters its 2026-2027 Biennial Budget Development Process, the Council is focused on maximizing limited resources to improve access to housing, healthcare, and support services, ensuring residents can remain safely and securely housed.
Tax exemption focuses on seniors and the disabled
By The Tacoma Weekly
Pierce County Assessor Treasurer sta visited the Key Peninsula Community Services Food Bank/Senior Center last week and explained the Senior and Disabled Property Tax Exemption program to dozens of Key Peninsula residents.
Pierce County o ers the program for income-qualifying seniors who are at least 61 years old on Dec. 31 of the previous year (2024).
These exemptions are available for your principal home and up to five acres of land. A mobile home may qualify as your residence, even if you do not own the land where the mobile home is located. The property must be your principal place of residence at the time you apply for the exemption and must be owner occupied for more than six months each year.
Your residence may qualify even if you are temporarily in a hospital, licensed nursing home,
assisted living or adult care facility. You may rent your residence to someone else during your hospital or nursing home stay. If the income is used to pay the hospital or nursing home costs, documentation will be necessary. Property used as a vacation home is not eligible for the exemption program.
A home owned by a married couple or by co-tenants is considered owned by each spouse or co-tenant. A co-tenant is a person who has an ownership interest in the
residence and resides in the residence. Only one person must meet the age or disability requirement. Your annual household income may not exceed $64,000. Household income includes your disposable income, that of your spouse and the income of any co-tenants other than a spouse who does not have an ownership interest and lives in your home. The application must show any income that a person contributes to the household.
Household income does not include the income of a person who has an ownership interest and lives elsewhere. However, if someone living elsewhere has any ownership interest, the amount of your exemption will be based on the percentage of your interest in the property. For more information, 253-798-6111.
Pierce County’s Senior and Disabled Property Tax Exemption can save qualifying homeowners a lot of money.
By Jim Miller
By The Tacoma Weekly
Rebuilding Together South Sound helps people stay in their homes.
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COURTESY THE TACOMA WEEKLY
State commission votes to postpone I-5 Bridge tolls, escalate rate increases
By TJ Martinell The Center Square
The Washington State Transportation Commission has voted in support of a one-year delay to tolling on the Interstate 5 Bridge spanning the Columbia River from Vancouver to Portland, Ore., although once implemented the rates would increase faster.
Last July, an Interstate Bridge Replacement Program Subcommittee voted to recommend toll rate scenarios to WSTC as well as the Oregon Transportation Commissions. A month later, program o cials anticipated a year delay for the new bridge’s timeline due to planning delays. Project o cials are still working on the draft Environmental Impact Statement. Though initially planned to start in spring 2026, the subcommittee in May advocated that implementation be delayed until spring 2027. According to Program Administrator Greg Johnson, the subcommittee is seeking a Record of Decision in 2026, in which the federal government approves the project for construction. Under the option approved by WSTC, the toll rates will escalate by 3.25% in the second and third year of tolling, rather than 2.15% as initially planned. After the third year, the toll rate increases will go back to 2.15%.
The tolling rate scenarios under consideration by the joint commissions depend on various factors, such as whether or not the new bridge has been completed, what day of the week and what time of day. Under all four scenarios, there would be a low-income program to cover 50% of the toll, though under some
With thankful hearts we celebrate the life of our beloved Dad, Rodney Nelson, who went home to be with his Savior on June 7 at the age of 93.
Dad was born on Christmas Day 1931 in Cloquet, Minnesota, the first child of Ervin and Helen (Korby) Nelson. After graduating from Cloquet High School in 1949 he studied for a year at the Milwaukee School of Engineering before enlisting in the US Air Force. During the Korean War, he served as the Maintenance Chief for a C-23 transport plane while stationed in Japan.
After his transfer to Larson Air Force Base in Moses Lake, Washington, Dad met a Central Washington State College student named LaVerne Roberts. They were married for 66 years, from July 1956 until Mom’s death in 2022.
Dad returned to Cloquet after his military service and began work as a draftsman at the Northwest Paper Company. He and Mom built a house near Big Lake and started raising a family. In 1962, with four sons all aged four and under, they moved to Tacoma where Dad began a long and fruitful
scenarios that program would start “once practical” as opposed to when the new bridge opens.
The highest potential toll rate under the four scenarios would be $4.70, which would take effect after the new bridge is completed.
During this year’s session, the Washington State Legislature passed House Bill 1958 sponsored by House Transportation Chair Jake Fey, D-Seattle, which authorizes up to $2.5 billion in bonding to be paid for by tolling revenue.
career, starting as a project engineer and quickly becoming chief engineer, at American Manufacturing Company, later named Duff-Norton, Inc.
Throughout his 44-year career, he traveled all around the US and abroad, designing and installing industrial machinery with a knack that few people possess.
In 1966, Mom and Dad built their family home on ten acres near Eatonville. It was there they raised all five of us: Kirby, Craig, Curtis, Chris, and Jodi (Dad’s “favorite daughter”).
Dad’s hands were rarely still.
He poured his heart into our home: building, maintaining, repairing, and creating with skill and craftsmanship. He taught all of us not just how to use tools or hold the flashlight, but how to solve problems.
Dad was a devoted servant to his family and community. He was a member of the Eatonville School Board from 1971 to 1979 and a trustee on the Board of Graham Covenant Community Church.
The greatest joy of Dad’s life was in his children and, later, his grandchildren. He delighted in watching us grow and spending time with us, cheering our
The state Departments of Transportation for Washington and Oregon recently sought traveler feedback on what modes they use when crossing the existing I-5 Bridge. The project previously received 600 comments related to tolling and around 1,300 comments concerning the bridge’s design.
The updated tolling start date has not yet been approved by the Oregon Transportation Commission.
accomplishments and sharing our disappointments. He marveled that all five of his children earned advanced degrees (a fact he never hesitated to share), but he would often say he was proudest of the fact that his children all still talked to one another. That legacy of love is one of his greatest gifts to us.
After retiring, dad remodeled the family cabin on Big Lake in Minnesota and he drove there every summer. As the grandchildren got older, Mom and Dad included each of them in turn on the annual lake trip, creating memories that all ten of them still cherish.
Dad’s faith in Jesus Christ was the cornerstone of his life. He approached his Christian walk with humble reverence, honesty, and curiosity. His conversations often turned to matters of faith, not out of obligation but because his heart was always set on eternal things. Those of us whom he touched with his faith are comforted to know he is with his Lord now.
Rodney is survived by his children: Kirby, Craig, Curtis, Chris, and Jodi (Turco) and their spouses (Joy, Sheryl, Marci, Tracy, and Milt); ten
Allison Meines has been selected as the assistant principal and athletic director at Eatonville Middle School, pending school board approval. Meines is a dedicated educator with a strong history of service in our district. She has served as a classroom teacher, Dean of Students at Eatonville Elementary during the 2023-2024 school year, and most recently stepped in as Interim Principal at Eatonville Middle School. Her commitment to our students and her passion for supporting sta , families, and the entire Warrior community is evident in every role she has held. "I am honored and excited for this tremendous opportunity and can't wait to dig in and reach for new heights. Go Warriors,” Meines said.
grandchildren; five greatgrandchildren; and his brother and sister-in-law, Dale and Margaret Nelson. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, LaVerne and his daughterin-law, Betty.
We miss him, but we are grateful for the legacy he left behind: a family united by love, a life
marked by faith, and a Godly example to follow.
The memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, June 28 at The Ridge Bible Church, 10609 234th St. E. in Graham at 1:00 p.m. Please make memorials to the Tacoma Rescue Mission (https://www.trm.org).
Staff Report
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Allison Meines
'Not looking terrific for summer': High gas prices in WA could get worse
launching ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv.
Washington state motorists could feel more pain at the pump than usual this summer as a combination of supply issues, global tensions and state polices drive up fuel costs.
Gasoline prices typically increase in summer due to demand and the switch to a more expensive blend of gasoline formulated to reduce emissions during warmer months.
The Evergreen State has seen gasoline prices, among the highest in the nation, increasing over the last several weeks.
“You are literally the only state that is above where it was one year ago,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said of fuel prices in Washington.
According to AAA, on June 18, 2024, the average price for regular unleaded gasoline in Washington was almost $4.35 per gallon. On Wednesday (June 18, 2025), it was nearly $4.41 per gallon.
“Washington’s really been impacted by some events that have been kind of out of your state,” De Haan said, referring to a number of gasoline refinery problems in California that are contributing to rising gasoline prices and concerns about future fuel supply stability. “Refinery issues are probably why you’re higher than a year ago.”
California has the most modern refineries on the West Coast, and disruptions there have a ripple effect on other markets, including Washington.
Two major California refineries are scheduled for closure: Phillips 66 is closing its Los Angeles refinery by October, and Valero is closing its Benicia refinery by April 2026. These closures represent a significant portion of the state's refining capacity and are projected to lead to a gasoline supply shortfall.
After a February refinery fire at the Martinez Refining Company in California, Washington gas prices went up 21 cents a gallon. Martinez is a city about 30 miles northeast of San Francisco.
“The basis for what you’re seeing right now is refining challenges,” De Haan reiterated.
Complicating matters further are escalating tensions in the Middle East. Israel has carried out multiple waves of strikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites, missile bases and other military installations as part of “Operation Rising Lion.” Iran has responded with aerial attacks,
FROGS
From page 1
the brink of extinction through predation, competition, and the spread of disease.
The northern leopard frog recovery e ort is a partnership with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington State University, Oregon Zoo and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. Funding for the 2024 northern leopard frog reintroduction was provided through a competitive state wildlife grant awarded to WDFW from USFWS’s O ce of Conservation Investment Competitive State Wildlife Grant program.
As part of Metro, the Oregon Zoo helps make greater Portland a great place to call home. Committed to conservation, the zoo acts globally on behalf of species from pikas to polar bears. Over the past 30 years, it has prevented extinctions, expanded populations,
“The Middle East is going to become a more active factor in why prices are going up,” De Haan said. “Washington is up 6 cents from a week ago, up 12 cents in the last month.”
As one of the world’s top oil producers, any disruption in Iran’s output could send international prices soaring, impacting what Washingtonians pay at the pump.
“Oil prices have jumped almost $10 a barrel in the last week,” De Haan observed.
Other factors closer to home also impact gasoline prices in Washington, including the state’s cap-and-trade program and an upcoming state gasoline tax increase.
Under the Climate Commitment Act, the state aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by setting a cap on the total amount of pollution allowed in the state and requiring covered businesses to obtain allowances equal to their emissions. These allowances can be acquired through quarterly auctions run by the Washington State Department of Ecology.
Ecology is gradually reducing the number of available allowances each year, creating a shrinking supply and increasing prices.
The cap-and-trade program has raised more than $3 billion so far. The money goes to projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote clean energy initiatives.
Washington’s gasoline tax is scheduled to increase by 6 cents per gallon on July 1, as part of a broader transportation revenue package approved by the Legislature this session.
The tax on diesel fuel will increase by 3 cents per gallon on July 1, and then increase by another 3 cents per gallon starting July 1, 2027.
Both gasoline and diesel taxes will be indexed to inflation, increasing by 2% annually starting in 2026 for gasoline and 2028 for diesel.
“It’s not looking terrific for summer,” De Haan said.
The broader outlook, according to him, isn’t any better.
“The long road is worrisome as well,” De Haan said. “Not only are we dealing with these short-term issues now in Washington, but long term, if there’s not enough refining capacity to meet demand, this is a story that’s going to continue to actually worsen, not improve.”
He concluded, “The trend is not great for Washington state.”
The first day of summer is Friday.
advanced conservation science, and formed powerful communities to protect wildlife in the Northwest and around the world. To plan your trip, go to oregonzoo.org/visit.
Support from the Oregon Zoo Foundation enhances and expands the zoo’s e orts in species recovery, conservation education and animal well-being. Members, donors and corporate and foundation partners help the zoo make a di erence across the region and around the world. To contribute, go to oregonzoo. org/give.
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park is a facility of Parks Tacoma, an independent government agency creating healthy opportunities to play, learn and grow since 1907. Northwest Trek is a 725-acre wildlife park dedicated to conservation and awakening a connection to Wild Life with everyone in the Pacific Northwest. It is home to rescued bald eagles, cougar cubs, American bison, grizzly bears and more. To plan your trip, go to nwtrek.org.
Politicians divided over federal plan to sell public lands
authorities should consult with state, local and tribal governments.
Colorado Democrats are leading the e ort against legislation proposed by Senate Republicans that would sell o millions of acres of public lands.
The proposal is to add the provision to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the budget reconciliation measure passed by the House. It was detailed in a budget blueprint that was released last week by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
The senators' plan would require the government to auction o between 2.2 million and 3.3 million acres of land owned by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. The sales would generate between $5 billion and $10 billion of income between fiscal years 2025 and 2034.
In total, the federal government owns roughly 640 million acres throughout the United States, or nearly one in three acres. That means, at most, this legislation would sell only 0.5% of all the federal land.
Democrats are pushing back.
“Our public lands are our most cherished heirlooms. They are American treasures that we hand down to future generations,” said U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colorado. “Our public lands are not for sale now, or ever. We stopped a similar e ort in the House — we’ll stop this one, too.”
U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah and chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, is leading the initiative to sell the land. He said this move will help address a nationwide housing crisis, while providing more money to help the federal government pay o debt.
“I am proud to unveil this historic legislation that will power our country, unleash energy innovation and help countless American families prosper,” Lee said.
The land that would be sold are considered underutilized “isolated parcels.” Before deciding what land to sell, the bill stipulates that federal
John Wayne Iverson, who would have turned 85 on July 3, passed away after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
John was born in 1940 and grew up in the Puget Sound area.
John pursued a variety of paths throughout his life including serving in both the United States Air Force and the Coast Guard before transitioning into entrepreneurship.
For the better part of his adult life, John lived in Eatonville, WA, and was a member of Eatonville Baptist Church.
John is survived by his wife, Alreen Iverson, his son, David Iverson, and his daughter, Rebecca Pitts (Ryan).
“The legislation specifically exempts national parks, national monuments, wilderness areas, national recreation areas and 11 other categories of federally protected land from sales to build much-needed housing for American families,” Lee said.
If the proposal is passed, land eligible for sale would come from 11 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat who is also running for governor in the state, said he opposes the proposal.
“Colorado's public lands should NOT be for sale to the highest bidder. I will always stand firm,” Weiser said. “That's because public lands are for the public.”
Yet other leaders from those western states a ected are in favor of the sale.
“These are important, commonsense policies for better energy and public lands strategy,” said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. “Senator Lee deserves enormous credit for championing the use of certain federal lands for housing — especially in rural communities surrounded by federal land, and even in cases where federal land sits within city boundaries and could be better used for homes. I appreciate that the bill prioritizes bids from states and cities, includes strong safeguards, and puts some of the proceeds toward infrastructure to support new housing.”
The U.S. House has already voted against similar legislation this session, which would have sold federal lands in Utah and Nevada.
Elyse Apel is a reporter for The Center Square covering Colorado and Michigan. A graduate of Hillsdale College, Apel’s writing has been published in a wide variety of national publications from the Washington Examiner to The American Spectator and The Daily Wire.
John W. Iverson July 3, 1940 – June 2, 2025
By Brett Davis The Center Square
By Elyse Apel The Center Square
