Apparently, because .1% of Montanans have signed up as “citizen cosponsors” of Tester’s Logging Bill that constitutes the bill really “picking up steam?”

Of course, one can assume that most of those 1,000 supporters are members of the “Beaverhead Partners” (ie MT Wilderness Association, MT Trout Unlimited and the National Wildfire Federation) or associated with the 5 timber mills.

Also, regarding Tester’s statement in his release:

“Folks in Montana understand that our forest communities are in crisis, and the old ways of making decisions about our forests have failed,” Tester said.  “This bill is a made-in-Montana plan.  It’s a new way of moving forward to protect our communities from wildfire, put folks back to work in the woods, and preserve our hunting and fishing heritage for our kids and grandkids.”

At least the “old way of making decisions” was open and inclusive and certainly didn’t purposefully exclude interested citizens or organizations, which is what happened with both the Beaverhead Partnership and the Blackfoot-Clearwater proposal.

Also, if Senator Tester’s really wants to “put folks back to work in the woods” he should look at the Bitterroot National Forest, which sits right next to Beaverhead-Deerlodge. Right now the Bitterroot National Forest has approved over 20,000 acres of logging/fuel reduction/thinning projects through the “old way of making decisions” coupled with an open and inclusive collaborative process…and look, we didn’t even need a law mandating the logging!  But, of course, the timber industry isn’t much interested in these projects because there is very little demand for lumber.

Also, it should be pointed out that Tester’s logging bill has exactly ZERO congressional co-sponsors 2 months after being introduced. Yep, it’s certainly “picking up steam.”