Environment Washington Urges Obama Administration to Expand Mt. Rainier National Park

Environment America

As the Obama administration continued listening sessions on their America’s Great Outdoors initiative, Environment Washington is urging officials to save the best of Washington and expand Mt. Rainier National Park to protect one of the nation’s last inland rainforests from logging and development.  

Key Obama administration officials will lead discussions about the importance of public lands and reconnecting Americans to the “great outdoors” in today’s listening session in Seattle. 

“National parks have been called America’s ‘best idea,’ and Mt. Rainier National Park is living proof, providing families and friends with breathtaking vistas, quiet trails and other unique opportunities to connect with the great outdoors,” said Heather Shute, Environment Washington environmental advocate.”  

“Just beyond the park’s protective borders, however, one of the nation’s last inland rainforests is threatened by population growth and development. We call on the Obama administration to make protecting this unique ecosystem central to his goal of defending America’s great outdoors, ensuring that the beauty and ecological value of this forest and the park remain unspoiled for generations to come,” continued Shute.

This summer, Environment Washington has been getting people engaged in the campaign to expand Mt. Rainier National Park and protect one the nation’s last inland rainforests. Environment Washington has held more than 19,000 conversations with Washingtonians by going door-to-door and getting people to take action in support of expanding the park.