Governor Announces Push to Improve Access to MT Public Lands
Suzanne Potter, Producer
Friday, June 10, 2016
BILLINGS, Mont. -- Gov. Steve Bullock announced a series of measures Thursday to improve access to public lands, saying they are an important part of the state's heritage.
According to the Outdoor Industry Association, outdoor recreation is worth about $6 billion to the Montana economy and supports 64,000 jobs. Bullock has created the position of public access specialist in the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. He said that person will troubleshoot access issues for the 2 million acres of public land hemmed in by private property.
"We see more and more access to rivers and public lands at times being behind locked gates, public access being denied," he said. "We can find creative ways to get access."
Bullock called on the Legislature to create a new Office of Outdoor Recreation to promote the state's outdoor industries. He also wants lawmakers to unfreeze funding for "Habitat Montana," a program that uses fees from hunting and fishing licenses to buy more public land.
Rick Graetz, a geography professor at the University of Montana, said his department has done two bipartisan polls that showed people favor recreation and conservation over commercial uses for public land.
"Across political lines, more and more people value public lands," he said. "They want access. They resent the fact that there are people coming in trying to close off that access."
At the Billings event, Bullock reaffirmed his commitment to ensure that public land is not sold off to private interests. The state also has set up an email address for people to add their views to the discussion: keepitpublic@mt.gov.
get more stories like this via email
Social Issues
Mississippi prisons often lack resources to treat people who are incarcerated with substance-use disorders adequately but a nonprofit organization is …
Social Issues
April is Second Chance Month and many Nebraskans are celebrating passage of a bipartisan voting rights restoration bill and its focus on second chance…
Health and Wellness
New Mexico saw record enrollment numbers for the Affordable Care Act this year and is now setting its sights on lowering out-of-pocket costs - those n…
Social Issues
Residents in a rural North Carolina town grappling with economic challenges are getting a pathway to homeownership. In Enfield, the average annual …
Social Issues
A new poll finds a near 20-year low in the number of voters who say they have a high interest in the 2024 election, with a majority saying they hold …
Social Issues
A case before the U.S. Supreme Court could have implications for the country's growing labor movement. Justices will hear oral arguments in Starbucks …