Missoula City Council rallies behind public lands, opposes sell-off

Martin Kidston

(Missoula Current) With a vote to dispose a broad swath of public lands possibly days away, the Missoula City Council on Monday joined the growing chorus of those supporting the nation's public lands and their continued federal management and stewardship.

As written, the U.S. Senate's budget bill would require the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to sell at least 3.3 million acres of public lands. While Montana is currently exempt from the sell-off, 11 other Western states could see large tracts of public land fall into private ownership.

“That's over 5,000 square miles, or roughly the size of Connecticut that would be sold off to the highest bidder,” said council member Eric Melson. “That's our forests, our rivers, our grasslands and our mountaintops. Once these lands are gone, they're gone forever.”

The city's resolution, adopted unanimously on Monday night with broad public support, notes the beneficial impact that public lands have on local economies. It also praises the federal management of public lands, which ensures their resources continue to benefit the entire American public.

A recent Conservation in the West Poll, which is conducted annually, found that 84% of Westerners are more likely to support political leaders who protect existing public lands. Rallies supporting public lands and opposing the potential sale have popped up in nearly all Western states, including Montana.

While Montana is exempt from the sale, public land advocates are watching to see if Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy vote for or against public lands. Some council members called the Montana “carve-out” a “gross misuse of power and authority” by Montana's senators.

“The connection between our public lands and the economic vitality of this state are something that's being missed in this whole debate,” said council member Mike Nugent. “The idea that Montana has a carve-out and other states don't is the peak of naive thinking that if somehow this passes that Montana won't be next.”

According to the Outdoor Alliance, a map of land that could be sold includes a long list of national recreation assets. That includes much of the Teton National Forest, the Absaroka range, trails on Mount Hood, the South Salmon and large pieces of the Sawtooth range in Idaho.

The potential sale includes roughly 100,000 miles of public trails and 3,400 river miles. The Senate's bill “puts virtually any multiple-use Forest Service and BLM land on the table,” the Outdoor Alliance said.

“It sort of fails to realize how people use public lands and how they see them in their life,” said council member Stacie Anderson. “When we go to those places, we spend money in those states, help the economy and have a greater appreciation of the natural beauty of this place.”

The city's resolution also notes the role outdoor recreation plays in the Western economy. In Montana alone, it generates around $3.4 billion in economic output, provides 31,000 jobs and contributes $220 million in tax revenue.

“This is part of our identity,” said Mayor Andrea Davis. “We identify with the landscape. The landscape is part of us. This is a policy shift in one big bill that's really a taking from the American public and from Montanans.”