NEWS

Bullock blocks federal land study; transfer a concern

Karl Puckett
kpuckett@greatfallstribune.com

Gov. Steve Bullock vetoed a bill Monday that would have set up a committee to study federal land management in Montana, calling it a waste of executive branch resources and arguing a transfer of public land "is still very much in the sights of the task force."

"My position on this issue is crystal clear: I do not support any effort that jeopardizes or calls into question the future of our public lands heritage," Bullock wrote in a letter explaining his veto.

Federal land fuels the state's economy, and exposing the state's pocketbook to the costs associated with federal land management is "not sensible," Bullock added.

The bill, in its original form, was one of several moves in legislatures across the West this year that asked for a transfer of federal land to state control, or a study of such transfers.

State management is being promoted by those who argue states could deal better with land management problems on federal land such as wildfires and beetle infestations. They also say that states would raise more revenue from the land with better timber and minerals management.

In Montana, the original bill, which called for a transfer study in Montana, died in committee. Later, it was amended to a study of federal land, without the transfer, and it passed the Senate and House.

The bill would have created a task force and appropriated $35,000 for the study.

Bullock wrote that he did not accept the purpose for which the task for would be created. In 2013, he noted, the Legislature passed a study of federal land.

"In short order, that study turned to the transfer or sell-off of those public lands," Bullock wrote. "There is every reason to believe that this is the intended direction for this task force.

"When HB 496 was first introduced, it was a 'Transfer of Public Land Feasibility Task Force,'" he added.

Federal management needs to improve, Bullock said. But he said his administration is working to make it better through a Forests in Focus Program that is fostering collaboration on issues such as reducing fire risk, improving watershed health and wildlife habitat.

He also said the task force would be a waste of executive branch resources because the state forester and administrator of the state trust lands division would be members, and both positions already carry significant job responsibilities.

Bullock also said study of federal land arguably could include sovereign Indian reservations, or military bases such as Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, making it overbroad.

Proponents of the study said it was not about selling off public land, but looking at ways to improve management of federal land.

The Nature Conservancy of Montana, Montana Wildlife Federation and Montana Wilderness Association applauded the veto.

"We need to continue developing these great collaborative partnerships and stop wasting any more time talking about transferring ownership or management of public lands," Lee Boman, president of the Montana Wilderness Association, said in a statement.

Recent forest travel plans in the Flathead, Bitterroot and Lewis and Clark and Helena national forests showed Montanans have a say in how public land is managed, Boman said.

Reach Tribune Staff Writer Karl Puckett at 406-791-1471, 1-800-438-6600 or kpuckett@greatfallstribune.com