Congressman Reichert: Your voters support public lands!

WILD NW Action Alert #269: After a vote that would make public lands giveaway easier, tell U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert that his constituents support America’s public lands.

A new Congress convened this week, and some U.S. Representatives wasted no time in taking action to advance the giveaway of America’s national forests, parks, wildlife refuges and other public lands.

Please contact your congressman U.S. Rep Dave Reichert today to make sure he knows his voters support keeping public lands in public hands!

The House of Representatives passed a rules provision that designated any public land transfer legislation “budget neutral”, disregarding the rich value of our natural heritage and the economic benefits these lands already provide through recreation and other uses.

Not only is this rule change bad business for taxpayers, numerous studies have shown that states don’t have the budget to manage America’s public lands. Transferring federal public lands would lead to their sell-off to big corporations, wealthy individuals and special interests. If our public lands are privatized—fish and wildlife, conservationists, outdoor recreationists, birders, hunters and anglers, local communities, future generations of Americans—we all lose.

Among the elected lawmakers who voted for this short-sighted proposal was Congressman Dave Reichert of Washington’s 8th Congressional District, which covers eastern King and Pierce counties as well as Chelan and Kittitas counties.

Please send a message to Rep. Reichert to show your support for America’s public lands. Or give his district offices a call at 425-677-7414 (Issaquah) or 509-885-6615 (Wenatchee).

America’s public lands not only protect our history, wildlife habitat, and natural beauty, they also draw visitors from across the country and around the world. Rep. Reichert’s district contains some of the most cherished public places in our region, from the iconic Enchantments Area on U.S. Forest Service lands to the scenic Yakima River Canyon operated by the federal Bureau of Land Management.

These and other public places are vital for outdoor recreation, essential for local businesses in nearby communities, and are an important part of our regional economy. It’s important we keep America’s public lands in public hands!

Thank you for taking action today to protect public lands.

Not a resident of Washington’s 8th Congressional District? We apologize that our system included you in this message. You can still send a letter to your elected leaders using this form from our partners at the National Wildlife Federation: www.nwf.org/thislandisourland