NEBRASKA SPEAKS UP ABOUT TRANSFER OF NIOBRARA NATIONAL SCENIC RIVER TO STATE MANAGEMENT

Posted by Nebraska BHA Chapter | July 30, 2025

A Case Against Transferring the Niobrara National Scenic River from Federal to State Control

Nebraska Legislative Resolution 158 proposes an interim study to examine the process for, and feasibility of, the State of Nebraska assuming the administration of the seventy-six mile stretch of the Niobrara River that has been designated as a national scenic river.

The Niobrara National Scenic River, designated in 1991 and managed primarily by the National Park Service (NPS), represents a unique national treasure. It is home to over 90 species of fish, six different ecosystems, and rare plant and animal communities. Federal stewardship ensures that:

• Access remains open to all Americans, not just Nebraskans.
• Management prioritizes conservation, recreation, and historical protection, rather than economic exploitation.
• Stable funding and expertise from federal agencies supports science-based conservation and infrastructure improvements.
• Federal management also facilitates coordination across boundaries—many partners, including The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and private landowners, collaborate to protect this corridor. This model of collaborative stewardship is harder to maintain under state-led management with shifting political priorities.

There is a well-documented trend of state governments selling or leasing lands after taking control from federal agencies, often to balance budgets or promote development.

• Western States including Nevada, Idaho, Colorado, and Arizona have sold public land.
• Public access was often lost, and conservation priorities took a backseat to short-term economic or political goals.

While Nebraska does manage several state parks and wildlife areas well, the scope, complexity, and national significance of the Niobrara National Scenic River demand resources and attention that state agencies may not be equipped to provide long-term. Nebraska's land management is often influenced by:

• Budget constraints and legislative turnover.
• Local political pressures, including lobbying by private landowners or developers.
• Less stringent environmental protections compared to federal standards.

Polls consistently show that Western and Midwestern voters value federal public lands and oppose transfers to state control.

• A 2023 Colorado College “Conservation in the West” poll found that 80% of respondents across 8 western states oppose the sale or transfer of federal public lands.
• Nebraska residents and tourists alike benefit from the Niobrara River’s national status, which boosts eco-tourism, paddling, fishing, and hunting in a way that state designation might not sustain.

The Nebraska chapter believes transferring the Niobrara National Scenic River from federal to state control threatens the future of this irreplaceable landscape. It risks reducing protections, compromising access, and potentially opening the door to privatization or resource exploitation. The federal government has both the obligation and the capacity to steward this area for current and future generations—not just Nebraskans, but all Americans.

Keeping the Niobrara under federal protection ensures a legacy of access, conservation, and national pride.

Read our letter to the Niobrara Council members here.