Viewpoint: D.C.’s silence on Montana’s public lands is deafening

Tanya Gates

The chaos in Washington, D.C. will have a disproportionate impact on Montana—a state defined by vast swaths of federally protected and managed public lands. These public lands are a treasure that faces degradation in the face of budget cuts, cuts to jobs for people who keep these lands open, healthy, and safe.

Secretary Burgum’s recent directive aiming to open up national monuments to drilling poses a direct threat to the wild landscapes we rely on for both recreation and wildlife conservation. These lands are critical not just for our enjoyment, but for the preservation of the species that call Montana home. Allowing industrial development, such as drilling, in these areas would disrupt wildlife migration corridors, destroy vital habitat, and introduce pollutants into ecosystems that have remained untouched for centuries. As someone who spends much of my time in the backcountry, I worry about the long-term consequences for our big game populations.

The outdoors are a part of Montana’s identity. The wilderness is where we go to connect with nature and unwind, and for many of us who hunt, feed our families. The national monuments and parks scattered across the state provide space for wildlife to roam and for people to experience nature at its rawest. Opening these lands to development risks destroying the places generations of Montanans have relied on.

Montanans overwhelmingly support protecting these places. According to the 2025 Conservation in the West Poll from Colorado College, 72% of voters in the West, including 68% of Montanans, support policies that prioritize protecting clean air, water, and wildlife over maximizing domestic energy development. The survey shows that majorities of both Republicans and Democrats oppose the reduction of protections for national monuments. This is a direct rebuke to Secretary Burgum’s proposal to open our monuments to drilling. It also highlights the disconnect with our Congressional delegation, who appear to be sitting on their hands as our public lands are under fire.

And now, Senator Daines has introduced the “Supporting Made in America Energy Act,” which would require the Bureau of Land Management to offer up 88% of its Montana lands for oil and gas leasing every three months. Every three months. That includes places like Paradise Valley, and even areas near schools, cemeteries, and private homes where the mineral rights belong to the federal government. Worse, this bill would eliminate public input and strip the BLM of its longstanding authority to withdraw sensitive areas from lease sales, even when there’s overwhelming local opposition.

Montanans have made it clear: we want our public lands protected. And yet, the push to open them to extraction continues. I’m concerned about what’s at stake—and I’m stunned by the silence of our Congressional delegation. Join me in urging Senator Daines, Senator Sheehy, Representative Zinke and Representative Downing to stand up for our public lands and give voice to the nearly 70% of Montanans who want to protect our public lands today and for generations to come.

Tanya gates is a board member with Montana Wildlife Federation.