HELENA – Montana’s congressional delegation is being asked to press for federal designation of more wilderness in the state.
Signers of a letter to the delegation include Dale Bosworth, a former U.S. Forest Service chief who lives in Missoula.
The letter says it’s been 26 years “since Montana has permanently protected a single acre of wild country.” The state has 3.5 million acres of federally designated wilderness areas.
Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg and Democratic Sen. Max Baucus say Montana, not Washington, D.C., is where land talks should originate. Democratic Sen. Jon Tester says he likes to hear all perspectives and appreciates efforts that have been under way, in Montana, to employ people in jobs that improve forest health, and protect natural resources.