Public Lands

From the Juniper Dunes Wilderness area, to the Wenatchee and Gifford Pinchot National Forests, and up to the North Cascades National Park, Central Washington has over 200,000 acres of federally owned land.

As the top Republican on the House Natural Resources Committee, which oversees our nation’s public lands policies, I am focused on achieving a proper balance that protects lands, ensures public access, and allows for economic benefit and job creation.

This multiple use approach guides my decisions on land policies because I understand the important recreation, economic and environmental benefits our public lands offer.

It should never be forgotten that American taxpayers pay the bill for managing these areas – and public land use policies should reflect that. It’s the responsibility of the government to ensure that these lands are widely accessible and managed responsibly

Preventing public lands from becoming a burden on local governments, ensuring public access, and providing for responsible management are keys to ensuring the continued benefits that Central Washington’s many public lands have to offer.

That’s why I wrote legislation to open up opportunities for public access to Juniper Dunes and the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain, to allow for better management of land in Douglas County, to allow fish stocking to continue in the North Cascades National Park, to allow families fair access to cabins on federal lands, to help facilitate the construction of a new fire station to serve Snoqualmie Pass, and to rebuild Stehekin Valley Road to provide access for all to the North Cascades National Park.