Gateway Towns Push Back Against Public Land Sales
Amid ongoing Senate budget negotiations, 70 local elected officials, chambers of commerce, and businesses representing gateway and rural communities across Washington State submitted a joint letter opposing efforts to sell off federal public lands.
In Washington, federal public lands are closely tied to small rural communities—economically, socially, and culturally. Towns like Index, Port Angeles, and Packwood proudly serve as the first point of welcome for visitors to ancient forests, wild rivers, recreation areas, and historic sites. These lands are vital to local economies, supporting federal jobs, outdoor recreation, timber, and road maintenance work, while driving business to local services like lodging, dining, fuel, and groceries.
From national parks and forests to wildlife refuges and monuments, Washington’s public lands provide responsible recreation opportunities for residents and visitors alike—contributing $26.5 billion in annual spending and supporting 264,000 jobs statewide, according to a 2020 Earth Economics report. In addition to recreation, these lands generate value through energy, timber, and mineral production.
Public lands also enjoy broad, bipartisan support. A 2023 Conservation in the West poll found that 84% of Westerners—including 71% of Republicans—are more likely to support presidents who act to protect public lands.
Washingtonians share a decades-long, bipartisan commitment to stewarding federal public lands. Local communities have worked together to find balanced, practical solutions that address increasing visitation, infrastructure needs, and the growing impacts of climate change. The proposed land sell-off abandons that cooperative approach in favor of a top-down policy that excludes the very communities most affected.
