public lands

Missoula County plans to seek a share of funding tied to the Federal Lands Access Program to create a new path to a popular recreation site, overlay several rural roads and replace a bridge leading to National Forest lands.

Harold Johns writes, "It’s yet another step in a direction towards privatization of Montana’s wildlife, a path that Montanans don’t want to be going down."

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 Tuesday to revive a lawsuit against the federal government by two Montana property owners who say a public road brought increased traffic, trespassers and theft.

The bill would increase the cap on payments from $25,000 to $50,000 to open private lands for hunting access.

The announcement comes on the heels of the president's OK for an oil drilling project in Alaska's Western Arctic.

Gov. Joe Lombardo’s support for the sale of federal lands to developers would increase the state’s economic resilience and decrease its reliance on tourism, say proponents.

Andrew KcKean writes, "Instead of looking in county courthouses and precinct ballot boxes, they should look within the halls of the legislature and governor’s office for the most brazen attempt to steal an election since Montana’s Copper Collar era."

Environmental groups and Democrats see federal divestment as a step toward restricting access to places to which all Americans should have a claim. States couldn’t afford to protect public lands, which would lead them to sell to private companies, they say.

After the public comment period closed on Dec. 23 for the “East Crazy Inspiration Divide Land Exchange,” the 1,060 comments submitted online appear to show that a majority of the public does not support the exchange as proposed.

Anticipating the delisting of grizzly bears, FWP wants the Legislature to pass a bill saying FWP will “manage grizzly bear populations at levels to maintain the delisted status.”