Alert: Your voice needed to stop anti-public lands resolution in the Montana Legislature

Big Therriault Lake - Kootenai National Forest
Big Therriault Lake – Kootenai National Forest

Your voice is needed to stop an anti-public lands resolution in the Montana Legislature. This resolution, HJ9, comes before the House Natural Resources Committee at 3:00pm today!

Representative Kerry White, a leading proponent of the scheme to transfer and privatize public lands across Montana, has introduced a joint resolution (HJ9) last Friday calling for the release of our state’s most prized wilderness study areas. If that occurred, the Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn, West Pioneer, Blue Joint, Sapphire, Ten Lakes, Middle Fork Judith, and Big Snowies Wilderness Study Areas would all become vulnerable to development. Years of collaborative work by Montanans to help shape the future of these areas would also be laid to waste.

Montana has 44 wilderness study areas, covering more than a million acres and encompassing some of our most stunning landscapes. They elevate our quality of life while contributing to our local economies. They provide important habitat for big game and other wildlife, support vital fisheries for downstream blue-ribbon streams, and offer world-class recreation opportunities. They are also critical sources of clean water for nearby communities.

Since this is a resolution and not a bill, it cannot be vetoed by the Governor.  However, if this resolution passes it will embolden anti-public lands representatives in Congress to release wilderness study areas across the country, including Montana.

NFPA urges you to TAKE ACTION NOW and contact the members of the House Natural Resources Committee.

REP. KIM ABBOT
Email:  Rep.Kim.Abbott@mt.gov

REP. BOB BROWN
Email:  Rep.Bob.Brown@mt.gov

REP. ZACH BROWN
Email:  brownformontana@gmail.com

REP. VIRGINIA COURT
Email:  vcourtforlegislature@yahoo.com

REP. WILLIS CURDY
Email:  Rep.Willis.Curdy@mt.gov

You can also call and leave a message for the committee at 406/444-4800.  Tell them that you adamantly oppose HJ9.