The Mountaineers
Policy Update: Thousands of Mountaineers answered our call to action, and now we're encouraged to share that public lands sell-offs were kept out of the final Senate budget reconciliation bill. Washington's public lands are now safe from the recent threat of public lands sell-offs. Our collective advocacy made a difference. Thank you for adventuring with purpose with us.
As we shared last month, members of Congress are seeking to sell off federal public lands as a way to raise revenue, putting these lands at risk of transfer or development. Thanks in part to recent advocacy by outdoor enthusiasts, public lands sales were kept out of the final House reconciliation bill. However, this near-term win during the early stages of the congressional budgeting process was short-lived.
The sale of federal lands is back on the table in the Senate, and their proposal is significantly worse; it includes a direct threat to Washington’s public lands. The current version of the Senate reconciliation bill mandates the sale of at least 2.2 million - and up to 3.3 million - acres of unprotected national forest and BLM lands throughout the West for “housing and associated infrastructure.” The threat of large-scale public lands sell-offs by Congress just became tangible and urgent for Washington’s public lands, as Washington state is one of the 11 western states with lands eligible for sale.
Protected areas, including Wilderness Areas, National Monuments, and other protective designations, are thankfully off limits. Unfortunately, a large swath of remaining national forest and BLM areas in Washington state are left up for grabs with few guardrails, putting cherished recreation destinations at risk. Public lands that The Mountaineers and the wider outdoor community love to experience could be put up for sale - places like Washington Pass, Baker Lake, Lake Kachess, and even the forests surrounding The Mountaineers Meany Lodge. You can see all of the more than five million acres of Washington national forest and BLM lands at risk in this map from our partners at Outdoor Alliance.
The Mountaineers supports balanced use of public lands and waters, but this move would set a harmful precedent, triggering a drastic shift in how federal public lands are managed in Washington and across the country. This threat to public lands is here, it’s real, and the time for action is now. Join our community’s advocacy to oppose these land sales by taking a few minutes to let your members of Congress know what these at-risk recreation areas mean to you.
Photo: Dungeness River Valley, Olympic National Forest. Areas of the Dungeness river valley are vulnerable to public lands sell-offs through the Senate reconcilitation bill. Photo by U.S. Forest Service - Pacific Northwest Region.
Opposing Public Lands Sell-Offs
One of the most concerning things about this proposal is the sheer scale of inventory from which lands could be chosen. Proponents of the land sales would characterize these nearly 300 million acres as desolate and devoid of value to the American people. But, these lands have immense natural, recreational, and cultural value, and include special outdoor places where Mountaineers hike, climb, bike, and trail run. In addition to several popular areas in the North Cascades and around Snoqualmie Pass, recreation areas on the Olympic National Forest (which are candidates for Wilderness designation through the Wild Olympics bill) could be lost to privatization.
We’re committed to our advocacy to oppose the urgent threat of public lands sell-offs and keep federal public lands in public hands. This advocacy isn't just about 3.3 million acres, it’s about the hundreds of millions more that are at risk, as well as the other problematic provisions in the reconciliation bill that will increase logging, cut conservation and climate funding, and circumvent critical public input ensured by the National Environmental Policy Act.
We’ll continue to amplify our efforts through joint advocacy with Outdoor Alliance, elevating the importance of Washington’s national forests to our community with lawmakers and their staff. As we come together with human-powered recreation groups across the country, our collective impact can help ensure future generations have the opportunity to know, love, and protect these outdoor places in Washington and across the West.
Take Action
Your voice and perspective are powerful tools for advocacy. As a member of our community, you know the intrinsic value of our public lands: they support our adventures, connect us to the natural world, and hold immense cultural importance as the ancestral homeland of Native peoples - the first stewards of our shared home.
The draft reconciliation bill may continue to move through the budgeting process in the Senate this week, and now is a critical time to raise your voice for Washington’s public lands. There’s growing bipartisan support against this proposal, but Congress needs to hear loud and clear that the recreation community will not stand for these sweeping public lands sell-offs.
There’s no substitute for constituent advocacy. Use our action form below to send a personalized message to your members of Congress, urging their opposition to this harmful proposal for public lands in Washington and across the West.
Thank you for advocating to protect Washington’s forests and recreation areas so future Mountaineers can experience the natural wonder from the Olympics to the North Cascades and beyond.
