Tester announces changes to Montana jobs, wilderness bill

Reacting to both criticism and constructive advice, Sen. Jon Tester revealed a thick list of changes to his Forest Jobs and Recreation Act during a visit to Missoula on Friday. In all, Tester proposed 21 changes to S. 1470. Many involve assurances that 10,000 acres a year of timber would be cut, with proper scientific monitoring and protection from excessive litigation. Litigation also got some makeovers in the amendments released Friday. The bill now calls for mediation of disputes before anyone can go to court. And it applies a "balance of harms" rule to judges, who must consider not only the short-term damage of a project but the long-term damage of doing nothing. In the recreation department, Tester clarified that snowmobiles aren't restricted to trails or roads, and therefore can continue to travel in areas they're using currently. He moved some wilderness boundaries that criss-crossed the Continental Divide Trail, so mountain bikers could use the route without violating the prohibition on wheeled vehicles. And he dropped a plan to allow motorized access of Tendoy Lake in the East Pioneer Mountains, after getting confirmation the route was falling apart and would create management headaches for the rest of the wilderness area. One high-profile change switches the Highlands area near Butte from wilderness to "special management area" designation. That's partially to allow military contractors to land helicopters there for special forces training...read more