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DEADLINE FOR SIGN ON IS 3:30 PM EASTERN ON WEDNESDAY 6/20
QUESTIONS: Contact America directly at
america_fitzpatrick@tws.org / (202) 429-2655
***ORGANIZATION LEVEL SIGN-ON ONLY***
Dear Chairman McClintock and Ranking Member Hanabusa:
On behalf of our millions of members and supporters, the signed-organizations write to offer the following views on H.R.
5148 and H.R. 5149. We respectfully request that this letter be included in the hearing record.
H.R. 5148 – Protect Public Use of Public Lands Act
Representative Gianforte’s legislation would strip existing protections that have stood for over 40 years from 450,000 acres of Montana’s wildest national forest lands—the largest loss of protected public land in Montana’s history. This bill would open the
door to new road construction, drilling, mining, and other development that would permanently destroy the wild character and natural values of these lands. It was introduced without a single public meeting and with virtually no public input—it is opposed by
Montanans across the state.
For 40 years, Montana’s protected forests have provided important benefits for Montanans: clean drinking water, blue-ribbon fisheries, thriving elk herds, and outstanding opportunities for hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and horseback riding. These forests
also bolster Montana’s $7 billion outdoor recreation economy that supports over 70,000 jobs and draws tourists from around the world. These public lands are a vital part of the state’s economy and make Montana a desirable place to live, work, and play. These
are the reasons a recent statewide poll found that 81% of Montanans not only reject the elimination of protections for wilderness study areas in Montana, they support new wilderness protections in the state by a two-to-one margin.
H.R. 5148 is based on 30+ years old government recommendations that do not reflect Montana values. There are better ways to address land management issues in Montana following in decades long Montanans way of working together to craft locally-driven, collaboratively-developed
approaches to protect habitat, improve recreational opportunities, and restore forests. H.R. 5148 disregards these traditions and imposes a Washington D.C.-based, one-size-fits-all approach.
For these reasons, our organizations, along with Montana’s Governor, numerous newspapers across the state, elected officials, sportsmen, equestrians, conservation interests and others reject this top-down, D.C.-based, one-size-fits-all approach. We call for
an open, inclusive, and transparent process and we urge the committee to seek a more balanced, locally-driven approach to managing Montana’s public lands.
H.R. 5149 – Unlocking Public Lands Act
Representative Gianforte’s so-called “Unlocking Public Lands Act,” strips existing protections – even the roadless rule – from over 360,000 acres of beloved public land in Montana, opening these lands to drilling, mining, and other forms of development. The
bill was introduced without a single public meeting and virtually no public input and is overwhelmingly opposed by Montanans.
For nearly 40 years, Montana’s wilderness study areas have protected some of the state’s most valuable watersheds and habitat for Montana’s wildlife, which provide opportunities to hunt, fish, camp, hike, – these prairies, foothills, and badlands are the backbone
of Montana’s $7 billion outdoor recreation economy. H.R. 5149 would put outdoor recreation, the largest sector of Montana’s overall economy, at risk.
A bi-partisan poll conducted by the University of Montana in April 2018 found 81 percent of Montanans oppose legislation to strip protections to Montana’s wilderness study areas and 97 percent of Montanans believe stakeholder input is important before decisions
are made on the level of protections on existing public lands. H.R. 5149 has included the public in an open and transparent process.
H.R. 5149 disregards a long tradition of collaboration in Montana and puts a $7 billion outdoor recreation economy at stake. For these reasons, our organizations, alongside Montana’s Governor, numerous newspapers across the state, elected officials, sportsmen,
equestrians, conservation interests and others reject H.R. 5149 and call for the committee to seek locally-driven, collaboratively-developed approaches to managing Montana’s public lands to protect habitat, improve recreational opportunities, and restore forests.
Thank you for considering our recommendations.
Sincerely,
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