Outdoors users doubt state takeover of federal land is right fix

A lot of hunters, hikers and horseback riders have problems with federal land managers in Montana, but few of them are ready to take over the job. “I think there’s an incredibly bureaucratic system when it comes to operating recreational opportunities on federal lands, especially speaking as an outfitter,” said Mac Minard, director of the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association in Helena. “I don’t think anyone in the federal government is blatantly trying to poorly manage the land.” The Montana Republican Party in June passed a platform resolution calling for state takeover of 25 million acres of federally controlled land. Minard said MOGA’s membership hasn’t taken a position on the GOP move. “But I think the Montana model is pretty strong,” Minard said. “I’m not aware of a system that’s better in terms of affording public access to public resources. I think our relationships with the Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service are pretty darn good. I do think it could be done better. There are a lot of logging issues and recreational issues that tend to get wrapped up in federal processes or federal court challenges that prevent full utilization and benefit that could accrue from federal lands. There’s a step where we could help federal land managers do a better job than just transfer the land over.” The Legislature’s Environmental Quality Council last month considered a report on problems with federal land management in Montana that contained numerous “risks and concerns” about federal oversight, and recommendations for speeding up decisions on issues like logging, mining permits and road construction on public lands. Sen. Jennifer Fielder, R-Thompson Falls, chaired the drafting committee and is an advocate for full state management of public property. “It appears in early 1990s, we saw a shift from responsible productive land management to the downward spiral of dysfunction we have today,” Fielder said. “Federal policies like the Federal Land Management Policy Act of 1976 promised us land management would be performed with local planning and sustained yield, multiple use, and that counties would receive payment in lieu of taxes for the federal property within their borders. They’ve broken every promise since that was enacted. They’re giving us pennies in lieu of trillions.” Montana’s recreation economy generates about $5.8 billion a year in consumer spending and supports 64,000 direct jobs, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. The state receives 9.8 million visitors a year from outside its boundaries, and the state Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department said wildlife viewing is one of the top two reasons for coming. That outside interest can’t be ignored in the federal land management debate, according to Public Land and Water Access director John Gibson...more

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