OMB has withdrawn sale of the Seattle Federal Archives and Records Center

In January, OCA Greater Seattle along with dozens of local organizations joined the Washington State Attorney General lawsuit against the Federal Government stopping the sale of the National Archives Facility in Seattle, Washington.

We are happy to announce that we have won the lawsuit! The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) says that consulting the tribes is a high priority in this current Administration and they will seek to follow the correct procedures if they decide to continue with selling the property. Thank you to our representatives and attorneys, Alyssa Au and Bernadette Connor.

OMB has formally withdrawn its approval of the sale of the Seattle Federal Archives and Records Center. OMB’s letter to the Public Building Reform Board announcing the decision notes that “Tribal consultation is a priority for this Administration.” It goes on to criticize the lack of consultation in the lead up to the decision to approve the sale in January 2020. It then commits “meaningful and robust tribal consultation” in the future, together with appropriate administrative process, based on a new factual record” prior to any future sale.

The Seattle, WA, Archives and FRC is located at 6125 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA. The facility is owned by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). The facility was originally built in 1946, and NARA has occupied the facility since 1963. The facility has not had a major improvement since 1987 and requires a roof replacement, replacement of heating, plumbing, and electrical systems, and seismic upgrades.