Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act

[BigHornRam]

Tester re-launches Blackfoot-Clearwater bill

BONNER — Citing a decade of groundwork, Sen. Jon Tester has reintroduced his Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act in another attempt to protect wilderness and recreation features around the Bob Marshall

missoulian.com

 

[BigHornRam]

Map in this article.

Tester Rallies For Blackfoot Clearwater Lands Bill

CORRECTION: The orginal draft of this story said this bill would remove wilderness study designation to some public lands. The bill does not address…

www.mtpr.org

 

[sapperJ24]

This is the first thread that I could find on the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act.

I believe the bill is still quite similar to its original version. BCSA is out of committee and to the full Senate. Barasso was the only "no" vote in committee.

It is being paired with Daines' Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act which "would remove restrictions from about 100,000 acres of public land currently classified as Wilderness Study Areas. They include the 11,380-acre Hoodoo Mountain WSA and 11,580-acre Wales Creek WSA in the Garnet Mountains between Ovando and Drummond, which are overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. It would also delist the 81,000-acre Middle Fork Judith WSA in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, overseen by the Forest Service."

Tester, Daines public lands bills move out of committee

Sen. Jon Tester’s Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act and Sen. Steve Daines’ Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act both moved to the Senate floor.

www.bozemandailychronicle.com

 

[Beignet]

Just got an email about this. Was happy to see the BCSA finally advance. Seems like the work was done to appeal to a broad swath of stakeholders.

Was disappointed to see that it’s still being hitched to the MSCA. Some of the of the WSA’s certainly wouldn’t qualify for Wilderness designation per their inventories and reviews from way back when, but I still appreciate having them as roadless places that haven’t been overtaken by side-by-sides.

 

[Beignet]

I think Lamb expressed my feeling about the MSCA with more better englishes in another older thread related to that bill.


https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/soft-hands-steve-at-it-again.313942/post-3424187

 

[BigHornRam]

From the Chronicle article.

"How either bill advances remains uncertain. With tense budget negotiations threatening to shut down the federal government at the end of September, and the legislative calendar packed with other issues that must be settled by Dec. 31, the chances of the bills getting their own votes on the Senate floor are slim. There is a possibility of one or both getting attached to a must-pass package of legislation, but no moves have started on that yet."

 

[Beignet]

From the Chronicle article.

"How either bill advances remains uncertain. With tense budget negotiations threatening to shut down the federal government at the end of September, and the legislative calendar packed with other issues that must be settled by Dec. 31, the chances of the bills getting their own votes on the Senate floor are slim. There is a possibility of one or both getting attached to a must-pass package of legislation, but no moves have started on that yet."

Realistically the bill will probably continue to stagnate as it has in the past. I'm guessing it's Tester making a push to show that he's trying to deliver on a popular local issue for his constituents before the next election cycle so he can use his attempts to do so as a campaign issue.

 

[Straight Arrow]

so he can use his attempts to do so as a campaign issue.

Moreover, Tester and some R's (by the way) know that the BCSA is an important piece of legislation for the people and landscape of Montana. If you really think it's only about politics, that's a bunch of baloney!

 

[BigHornRam]

The original BCSA from 2009. Truely a multiple use bill put forward by Senator Tester. Democrat President, Democrat house, and super majority in Senate.

Tester introduces much-anticipated Forest Jobs and Recreation Act - Senator Jon Tester

(TOWNSEND, Mont.) – Standing with loggers, outfitters, conservationists, hunters and fishermen who spent years working together on a plan for Montana’s forests, Senator Jon Tester today introduced his much-anticipated legislation to reform forest management to “make it work” for Montana. “Our...

www.tester.senate.gov

"Releases 76,000 of acres of BLM land to uses such as timber harvest and recreation. Right now that land, part of seven Wilderness Study Areas, is not official wilderness but has been managed as if it were.
Ensures about 677,000 acres of prime hunting and fishing habitat now and for future generations of Montanans through wilderness designation."

Bill went nowhere.

 

[Beignet]

Moreover, Tester and some R's (by the way) know that the BCSA is an important piece of legislation for the people and landscape of Montana. If you really think it's only about politics, that's a bunch of baloney!

I do legitimately believe that Tester and lots of others really want this to succeed. He’s been working hard at placating a myriad of stakeholders for years now. But it’s hard to argue the good optics of getting a locally focused bill out of committee prior to an election where his likely opponent tends to focus on national issues of little consequence locally.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Bill went nowhere.

Even you must acknowledge it pales in comparison to the strong support of the BCSA. Furthermore, it could be argued that introduction of the FJRA bill did help Sen Tester get elected.
My cautiously optimistic hope is that Sen Tester and Sen Daines can agree to be mutually supportive regarding their respective bills on behalf of Montana public lands.

 

[Nameless Range]

The original BCSA from 2009. Truely a multiple use bill put forward by Senator Tester. Democrat President, Democrat house, and super majority in Senate.

Tester introduces much-anticipated Forest Jobs and Recreation Act - Senator Jon Tester

(TOWNSEND, Mont.) – Standing with loggers, outfitters, conservationists, hunters and fishermen who spent years working together on a plan for Montana’s forests, Senator Jon Tester today introduced his much-anticipated legislation to reform forest management to “make it work” for Montana. “Our...

www.tester.senate.gov

"Releases 76,000 of acres of BLM land to uses such as timber harvest and recreation. Right now that land, part of seven Wilderness Study Areas, is not official wilderness but has been managed as if it were.
Ensures about 677,000 acres of prime hunting and fishing habitat now and for future generations of Montanans through wilderness designation."

Bill went nowhere.

I really liked what the FJRA was trying to do. I think that certain consternations on local landscapes would be more lined out if it would have passed.

I know someone who worked on the original collaboration that is the BCSA. There's all sorts of folks - typically on the fringes - who have come out of the woodwork opposed, but to me it just goes to show that anything, no matter how moderate and balanced it tries to be and is, will piss certain folks off. Can't please everyone.

 

[BigHornRam]

Even you must acknowledge it pales in comparison to the strong support of the BCSA. Furthermore, it could be argued that introduction of the FJRA bill did help Sen Tester get elected.
My cautiously optimistic hope is that Sen Tester and Sen Daines can agree to be mutually supportive regarding their respective bills on behalf of Montana public lands.

The FJRA was a great bill that should have been passed. If it had been, we would not be discussing this today.