Methownet BB

Good Morning Folks!
Most of you know about the current threat to our public lands and are looking to take action. I wanted to share two upcoming events that provide a great way to get involved and speak up for the places we all care about!

Check it out:

You may have heard that Congress is considering a proposal to sell off millions of acres of public land, including up to 3.3 million acres of Forest Service and BLM land nationwide. That includes land in the Methow Valley.

This proposal would be a major change to how public lands are managed and protected, and could have real, lasting impacts on this place we all care about.
If you’re concerned and want to get involved, join us for one of two local events:


What: Community gathering to protect public lands
When & Where:
• Wednesday, June 25, 5–7 PM — Mazama Public House
• Thursday, June 26, 5–7 PM — Twisp River Tap House
Food & drink available for purchase


We’ll hear from a few local speakers with deep ties to the land, share what’s going on, and give people a chance to take action. We’ll also take time to thank Rep. Dan Newhouse for recent efforts to protect public lands and ask him to keep standing strong. These events are co-sponsored by Sierra Club, Methow Valley Citizens Council, and Conservation Northwest.

This isn’t a rally or a formal presentation. It’s a space to connect with others who care about the Methow, learn what’s at stake, and make sure our voices are heard. Everyone is welcome, hope to see you there!

Don't forget about these important meetings coming up. Protect our Valley

The math is unambiguous: keeping public lands in public hands delivers far greater benefits to far more Americans than selling them to private interests. The $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy, five million jobs, and billions in ecosystem services represent value that extends far beyond any one-time sale price. These lands belong to all Americans and provide benefits to all Americans—rich and poor, urban and rural, current and future generations.

Western counties with substantial public lands dramatically outperform their counterparts without such access. Non-metropolitan western counties where more than 30% of land is federally protected saw job growth of 345% over the past 40 years, compared to only 83% growth in counties with no federal public lands. Public lands don't just preserve nature—they're economic engines that create sustainable prosperity for rural communities.

Good news today.

The Senate Parliamentarian invoked the Byrd Rule to exclude the land disposal provision from the reconciliation bill. The Byrd Rule allows provisions to be excluded from reconciliation that are "extraneous."

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) said he will likely reintroduce a provision but that it will be much smaller. He's bending to pressure from a hunting advocacy group.

https://www.eenews.net/articles/senate-referee-rules-out-public-land-sales-in-megabill/