1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

I am writing today to voice my deep concerns about some of the proposed legislation by the House Natural Resources Committee in the budget reconciliation bill. This bill is reckless and unprecedented in its elimination of key environmental protections and sell-off of our public lands to the oil and gas industry. I am urging your office to reject any legislation that undermines environmental protections, weakens public participation or cuts resources for our public lands. Public lands are vital to our health, environment and economy. They provide more value when they are well cared for, not exploited. Public lands belong to all Americans, not wealthy donors and corporate executives. It is especially concerning to see the reversal of protections for the Arctic and Boundary Waters in the bill. ◦ The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of America's last remaining untouched wildlands. Recent lease sales in the Arctic have failed, proving that drilling in the Arctic Refuge won't lower the deficit, won't create meaningful revenue and won't benefit the American people. ◦ The Boundary Waters is the most visited Wilderness in the US, and copper mining poses an unacceptable risk to the clean water, wildlife, unique ecosystem, treaty rights and surrounding communities. The Boundary Waters is also an economic engine -- powering a $1.1 billion tourism economy and 17K jobs in northeastern Minnesota. These attacks on our public lands are deeply unpopular. 92% of voters agree that public lands belong to every American and should be preserved for public benefit rather than private exploitation. I urge you to stand strong for our public lands and environmental protections.