By Gary MacLaren, former State Representative, Victor
A number of recent letters across the state have criticized Congressman Ryan Zinke for voting FOR H.R. 2316, the Self-Sufficient Community Lands Act. H.R. 2316 is intended to “generate dependable economic activity for counties and local governments containing National Forest System land by establishing a demonstration program for local, sustainable forest management.” It allows the Governor to appoint a five member advisory committee that would manage the lands in the pilot project in an attempt to see if states can manage the forests better than the Forest Service. The advisory committee is also required to include “one member who represents recreational users” as a way to safeguard recreational access.
Critics of the bill claim:
1. The bill restricts access to federal lands. Not true. Sec 3. (f) (1) specifically states that nothing in the bill shall restrict access to National Forests for hunting, fishing, or other related purposes.
2. The bill waives all environmental laws. Not true. Projects in demonstration areas will still be subject to Federal environmental laws to the same extent that state lands are currently subject to those laws, including the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, The Clean Air Act, and the Endangered Species Act. See Sec 5. (c) (1)
3. The bill transfers wilderness, national monuments, and national parks to state ownership. Not true. Nothing in the bill allows the sale or transfer of federal lands to state ownership. The advisory committee only gains management authority. The Forest Service still retains ownership of the land. The bill specifically excludes Wilderness Areas and National Monuments from the demonstration area. See Sec. 3. (b) (2) (A) and (C).
4. The bill was written by special interest groups. Not true. A group of bipartisan county commissioners from Idaho counties came up with a solution to the growing problem of federal forest mismanagement in their communities. Their collective ideas became the Self-Sufficient Community Lands Act. (Remember the Ravalli County Resource Recovery Committee?) From the beginning, this bill has involved local elected officials and community leaders concerned about the lack of management and revenues generated from federal forests.
5. The bill infringes on Native American rights. Not true. The bill contains language in three places to protect tribal rights and interests. See Sec. 3. (f)(2) and Sec. 5 (c)(2) and Sec. 5 (d)(1).
You can check out H.R. 2613 for yourself at www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2316/text. In this campaign season lots of claims and charges distort the facts and truth. I believe it is important to get the record straight on this major issue of concern to Montanans.