Late last week leaders from numerous western
states convened at the Utah capitol for discussions on transferring
federally controlled public lands to the states. I joined the Montana
delegation in the talks.
For some time now, states have been assessing the legal, economic,
and environmental realities associated with assuming state control of
public lands. Utah was the first in contemporary times to pass a
Transfer of Public Lands Act in 2012.
Hawaii and all states east of Montana were as
much as 90 percent federally controlled at one time. Today the federal
government controls less than 5 percent of the lands within their
boundaries. The federal government has held onto over 50 percent of the
acreage in the west. The level of conflict that comes with Washington DC
governance of western public lands has reached an all time high.
In a press conference covered by the A.P. Friday
afternoon, Idaho Speaker of the House Scott Bedke said forests and
rangeland managed by the states suffer less damage and watershed
degradation from wildfire than lands managed by federal agencies.
“It’s time the states in the West come of age,”
Bedke said. “We’re every bit as capable of managing the lands in our
boundaries as the states east of Colorado.”
Comparison reports show states actively manage
resources on millions of acres of public lands in a manner that
perpetually generates revenues to fund public institutions while
providing public access, wildfire protection, and meeting strict
environmental regulations.
The forest service has been reducing access to
federally managed public lands, allowing fuel loads to reach
catastrophic levels, and losing money on resource management at an
alarming rate since the early 1990’s. Today the bulk of the national
forest budget is spent fighting lawsuits and wildfires, leaving as
little as 10 percent to 20 percent for actual resource management.
The immediate urgency to better care for these
public lands is becoming apparent even across party lines. In his
address to the Western Governors Association last June, democrat Montana
Governor Steve Bullock had this to say about federally managed lands in
Montana:
“For those of us in the western states, you know,
there’s a real high degree of frustration when it comes to management
of our federal forest lands. In Montana alone the numbers are
astounding. Since 2000, 6.3 million acres of Montana’s forests have been
affected by the mountain pine beetle. 4.3 million acres of forest and
range lands have been impacted by wildfire. The urgency is so apparent.”
Bullock continued, “Wildlife habitat has been
degraded, watersheds are at extreme risk, endangering key fisheries and
clean water. Fire danger is off the charts, threatening local
communities and stifling recreation, to say nothing of the economies of
our rural communities. We now can’t wait for the federal government,
though, to figure out a solution. It’s up to us as westerners to really
bring answers forward, which brings me back, to I guess, my experience
as a member of managing Montana’s public lands. I think that model works
well because there is a clarity of purpose, first of all. Secondly with
5 statewide elected officials managing these lands there is direct
accountability for decision making.”
States and counties from all over the west are
moving forward in a variety of ways to curtail the severe threats that
have built up as a result of poor federal management over the past few
decades. Earlier this month, Governor Bullock utilized a provision in
the farm bill to nominate over 5 million acres of USFS lands in Montana
for expedited treatment due to declining forest health and imminent risk
to public infrastructure, health, and safety.
Unfortunately the tools offered in the farm bill
came with no funding or guarantees it will succeed as advertised. Many
western leaders now believe transferring federally held public lands to
the states is the only solution truly big enough. The economic and
environmental advantage of state based management has proven quite
favorable on the millions of acres western states already manage.
States can better care for the lands, reduce
wildfire hazard, provide multiple use access, boost funding for
government services, respond to local desires, and bring good jobs back
to the rural west.
For more info, you can reach me at
www.jenniferfielder.us or email
sen.jfielder@legmt.gov.
Jennifer Fielder is a State Senator in Montana
For a great source of info on the transfer of public lands see the American Lands Council.