Spring 2025 Newsletter: Conservation Voices, Rep. Randall
Defending Our Public Lands in Congress
by U.S. Representative Emily Randall (D-WA06)
Photo: Daniel J. Evans Wilderness, Kevin Thompson
When I was elected to Congress, I knew that I was sent here with the charge to be a champion for the Olympic Peninsula — for our people, our federal lands, and the environment we as Washingtonians have fought long and hard to protect. I am proud to carry with me the voices and the stories of Washington’s 6th District, home to twelve federally recognized Tribal Nations — the stewards of these lands and waters since time immemorial— the Olympic National Park, the Olympic National Forest, salmon and Roosevelt Elk and Olympic marmot.
I was proud to be appointed to the Committee on Natural Resources and to be a voice for our region to protect public lands here in the 6th District and across the country.
But it’s not just about maintaining natural beauty. The Olympic Peninsula is home to several federally recognized Tribes whose ancestral lands are rich with cultural and practical significance. One of the most critical ways the Committee can make a difference is by safeguarding the sacred landscapes that are threatened by development, pollution, and climate change. Tribes on the Olympic Peninsula have been at the forefront of these battles, whether it’s advocating for the restoration of salmon populations or the protection of sacred sites. The Committee’s ability to champion policies that support Tribal sovereignty and environmental justice ensures that these communities are empowered to defend the land their ancestors have preserved for generations.
The current Republican House majority, along with the current Administration, is set on attacking our national parks, forests and other public lands. Already, special rules have been adopted by the majority to make it easier for Congress to sell off public lands.
I also stand in support of our hard working federal employees in agencies like the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs. The recent efforts by President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk resulted in mass firings of as many as 5,700 employees across the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service is unprecedented and appalling.
Just as in the event of a government shutdown, we have seen our parks and public lands temporarily closed due to lack of staff to make sure they are safe and operational. However, the impacts of these actions will be more widespread and permanent. It will result in worse air and water quality, reduced recreational opportunities in our parks and forests, less support for wildlife and endangered species recovery and limited ability to respond to devastating wildfires.
Back home in my district, the Olympic Peninsula is an inherently rural place, with no city greater than 20,000 in population. These communities are inextricably linked to our federal public lands like Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest. Without sufficient staff, Olympic National Park cannot accommodate the 3 million visitors that come and spend money in the gateway communities of the Olympic Peninsula. Without enough employees, the Olympic National Forest cannot work collaboratively with the Washington Department of Natural Resources and the Olympic Forest Collaborative to offer restoration thinning sales to improve forest health, wildlife habitat and provide funds for maintaining roads. These efforts provide wood to local mills and family wage jobs to local residents.
Photo: The Hamma Hamma River, Douglas Scott
While I am committed to defending our public lands from attacks as a member of the Committee, I also plan to work to support additional and needed protections for our forests and rivers. I plan to work with Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) to reintroduce the Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act that would protect new Wilderness areas in Olympic National Forest and more than 460 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers on the Olympic Peninsula. The legislation was introduced previously by both of the previous 6th District Representatives and has more than 800 endorsements from local elected officials, Tribes, businesses and conservation and recreation organizations.
For those of us who call the Olympic Peninsula home, we must understand the significance of the House Committee on Natural Resources and advocate for policies that honor both the land and the people who depend on it. Because if we fail to protect this place, we not only lose the natural beauty we cherish but the cultural heritage that has always been its beating heart.
Emily Randall was elected to represent the 6th congressional district of Washington State in the United States House of Representatives in November 2024, which includes the Olympic Peninsula. Previously she served as a Washington State Senator (D-26).
