FROM
SENATOR JOHN TESTER
SENATOR JOHN TESTER
Sometimes It Works
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| photo courtesy of Jon Tester |
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.. We hope all those folks in Montana appreciate this response. This is as strong of a position paper as you will see in this day and age.
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Dear _________ ,
Thank
you for contacting me about proposals to transfer federal lands to the
State of Montana. I believe that transferring our public lands will be
harmful to our state's economy and our outdoor heritage.
Public
lands are a cornerstone of Montana's way of life. Outdoor recreation
alone contributes $6 billion to our state's economy, and our ranchers
and agriculture producers contribute billions more. These lands are
critical to balancing Montana's budget.
While
Montana is strong fiscal shape today, the state can't afford to manage
an additional 30 million acres of land indefinitely. The federal
government spends more than $400 million a year managing this land. In
addition these federal lands bring in $50 million to Montana counties
in the form of Payments in Lieu of Taxes and Secure Rural Schools. And
federal wildfire fighting costs routinely top out in the hundreds of
millions. Our state just doesn't have the resources to provide that
level of support.
To
fund that kind of management, Montana likely would have to sell off
some public lands to pay to manage the rest. And those folks that could
afford to buy those lands wouldn't be regular Montanans, they would be
wealthy out-of-state interests who would quickly put up "No Trespassing"
signs on these lands.
Federal
management of these lands hasn't always been perfect, and there are
plenty of areas for improvement. That's why I worked with Montanans
from all walks of life for years to craft my Forest Jobs and Recreation
Act. This bill protects critical wildlife habitat, requires the Forest
Service to harvest 100,000 acres of pine-beetle infested timber, and
guarantees access to public lands for recreation. And it is why I
supported a new Farm Bill that allows for expedited timber harvest on
Forest Service land where there is strong on-the-ground support.
As
we look to improve forest management, we need to make sure all
Montanans have a seat at the table. I will keep your views in mind as I
continue fighting for public land management that works for Montanans.
Please don't hesitate to contact me again if I can be of further
assistance.
Sincerely,
Jon Tester
United States Senator
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| Comfort Food: Mac 'n' Cheese 'n' Spam |