2001 Montana Legislature

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 19

INTRODUCED BY A. CURTISS, ADAMS, JACKSON, BALES, BARRETT, DEVLIN, MASOLO, OLSON

Montana State Seal

A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA SUPPORTING THE MULTIPLE USE OF NATIONAL FORESTS AND PUBLIC LANDS AND URGING CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT TO OVERTURN THE FEDERAL ROADLESS INITIATIVE.



     WHEREAS, the wise multiple use of national forests and public lands is necessary for the economic stability and growth of communities in Montana and in other western states; and

     WHEREAS, under the federal Roadless Area Conservation Rule adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture, the use of millions of acres of inventoried "roadless" areas will be severely limited; and

     WHEREAS, under the National Forest System Road Management Rule and the National Forest System Land Resource Management Planning Rule, the use of national forest lands will be severely limited; and

     WHEREAS, these rules effectively make lands unavailable for wise multiple use; and

     WHEREAS, according to the United States Forest Service, tens of millions of acres of the national forest system, including land in Montana and other western states, are currently at high risk of catastrophic wildfire or are diseased and insect-infested; and

     WHEREAS, these rules limit the ability of the United States Forest Service to address these problems; and

     WHEREAS, while wilderness designation is the responsibility of the United States Congress, these rules and executive actions pursuant to these rules will make lands essentially de facto wilderness; and

     WHEREAS, these rules significantly restrict the use of national forest lands for the purposes for which the national forests were created; and

     WHEREAS, these rules severely limit national forest planning; and

     WHEREAS, access to the affected national forests and public lands in Montana and other western states for recreation, timber harvesting, mining, and other activities will be seriously curtailed.



NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

     That the Montana Legislature supports the multiple use, including responsible economic uses, of national forests and public lands.

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Montana Legislature urges Congress and the President to overturn the federal "roadless initiative", especially with respect to the public lands of Montana.

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be sent by the Secretary of State to President George W. Bush, the Montana Congressional Delegation, the Idaho Congressional Delegation, the Washington Congressional Delegation, the Oregon Congressional Delegation, the California Congressional Delegation, and the Wyoming Congressional Delegation.

- END -




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