What a shame! I commend Rachel Bartlett for her letter encouraging people to write letters expressing their opposition to the Legacy “Ranch” housing development. Looking back on my eight years of fighting the permitting of Stansbury Mining Company’s proposal for an open-pit vermiculite mine on ABM Ridge east of Hamilton, I can say without reservation that State Agencies don’t give a squat about protecting the resources they are charged with protecting. For those who doubt that, I urge you to read the Stansbury Mine Final Environmental Impact Statement which these same State Agencies signed off on.
Do your research, and be informed. Put your buck where it will do the most good. The Montana 2013 State Legislature passed a bill which limited the information that could be considered during the subdivision review process, including effects of development on agriculture land. Governor Steve Bullock VETOED IT. I would be interested to know if our County Commissioners are aware of the status of that bill. It would appear that they are not.
To all you farmers who had campaign signs on all your fence posts in support of the current sitting Board of County Commissioners, I say, you reap what you sow.
Alice Foster
Hamilton