I recently attended a meeting in Hamilton, Montana regarding the Bitteroot Valley Natural Resource Policy which is located at http://www.rc.mt.gov/planning/range.mcpx. I am in support of the above-referenced policy. This policy needs to be sent to the Federal Government so Montana can work with Federal Agencies to protect our forests. Montana needs a say in how we clear and keep up our forests; no one knows better than we do on how to do this. The people back East do not live in the wild, wide open spaces of Montana and their needs are different. They don’t understand our environment.
I moved here from Phoenix, Arizona a couple months ago to get away from the dust and air pollution in the big city of Phoenix. I was appalled to discover after living here a short while that the air quality here is worse. It is literally hazardous to my health due to multiple fires in Montana, Idaho and Washington. I haven’t been able to go outside to enjoy the quality of life I expected from Montana. It is much worse here than in Phoenix. I have asthma so I will have to move out of the area if these fires continue.
Additionally, two sets of my friends had to cancel their visits due to the smoke. This has placed an unfair burden on me and of course the businesses we would have supported had they come to visit.
Something needs to be done… as it is, the forests are not being managed properly. Global warming will make things worse… so something needs to be done soon!
Barbara McNey
Hamilton