Experts Warn Trump’s „Big Beautiful Bill” Could Codify Big Land Grabs

Agricultural advocates and lawmakers are sounding the alarm this week, as section 41001 of the proposed Budget Reconciliation Act (the Big Beautiful Bill) contains language that would centralize local authority to the federal government regarding land use and land expropriation.

Property rights are under attack again.

A House Energy and Commerce proposal for the budget reconciliation bill would override state laws that protect landowners’ private property rights from being taken by Green New Deal carbon sequestration pipeline companies.

The proposal… https://t.co/FWKqiaVwbe pic.twitter.com/wakjgv3d4D

— Speaker Jon Hansen (@SpeakerHansen) May 14, 2025

Beginning under the Biden administration’s Federal Plan for Equitable Long-Term Recovery and Resilience (ELTRR), funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the USDA credit line, known as the Commodities Credit Corporation (CCC), were allocated to ideologically aligned Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

Using contract law, NGOs were then tasked with creating a carbon market and strategic buyout programs for federally funded public-private land acquisitions—entered into as an agreement structure with local municipalities—to facilitate the Green New Deal.

Carbon capture has captured Farm Credit, and could soon capture lands across America’s Heartland.

Amid a flurry of administrative rule changes, the Biden administration prioritized government-backed Farm Credit lending for rural utilities. Reallocating parts of the USDA’s Rural Development budget, the Biden administration attracted „eligible organizations” to „invest in renewable energy infrastructure and zero-emission systems,” to „significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Simultaneously, as part of the ELTRR’s „whole-of-government” approach; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) exempted certain „Green Energy” infrastructure projects, such as solar and carbon capture from Environmental Impact Studies, while 45Q tax credits promised billions in government subsidies, and agencies eased land acquisition regulations for „Federally Assisted Programs.”

This coalescence created a proverbial gold rush. Suddenly, private equity firms like Blackrock and Vanguard quickly began backing projects for Carbon Sequestration infrastructure, such as the 2,500-mile C02 pipeline project spanning five states.

Now, as Congress works to immediately halt IRA funding and reign-in the „whole-of-government,” state lawmakers and agricultural advocates warn the cure could exacerbate the disease.

According to Amanda Radke, a fifth-generation cattle rancher who has fought against giving private corporations eminent domain power in South Dakota, „this proposal would open the door for federal overreach and eminent domain abuse, especially with the $10 million price tag to fast-track these projects.”

„I’m deeply concerned that the current proposal for the budget reconciliation bill will grant centralized federal authority over the permitting of carbon dioxide pipelines,” Radke said. „This Green New Deal has held America hostage for far too long, and it’s time for Congress to cut ties with this boondoggle once and for all. Landowners across the nation are calling for Congress to cut wasteful spending, halt the subsidies of the IRA like the 45Q tax credit, and protect our private property rights.”

S.D. landowners have also found a fierce advocate in Speaker of the House, Rep. Jon Hansen. Hansen, who is now running for Governor, and running-mate Rep. Karla Lems, have led the charge to protect private property rights in the State of South Dakota.

However, according to Hansen, these hard-won efforts could now be a moot point.

„President Trump has made it very clear that he wants to end the Green New Deal scam. In spite of that, politicians in Washington are trying to sneak a provision deep in the budget bill that would override the hard-fought protections that we have put into place for farmers, ranchers, and land owners in South Dakota,” Hansen told ZeroHedge.

While GOP leadership has made quiet promises that the bill will be amended, an updated draft has yet to materialize prior to Wednesday’s vote. A fact that isn’t sitting well with Radke or Hansen.

„While we’ve been told this language would be cut on Wednesday morning, farmers and ranchers are waiting for reassurance from Congressional leaders that our land is, in fact, not for sale to the highest bidder,” Radke said.

For Hansen, however, anything short of killing this section, will be considered an absolute failure.

„All members of Congress must reject this proposal,” Hansen said. „Anything short of killing the land grab proposal and totally defunding the 45Q tax credit is an absolute failure to deliver on ending the green new deal scam and a failure to defend our peoples’ constitutional rights.”