Bill > SJ14

This joint resolution addresses the status of wilderness study areas in Montana, calling for their release from potential wilderness designation. The resolution highlights that nearly 663,000 acres of land in Montana have been under wilderness study since 1977, including seven Forest Service areas and 37 Bureau of Land Management areas, despite the original 5-year review period expiring in 1982. The Montana Legislature argues that these lands are currently in a legal and management limbo, which negatively impacts local economic activities like agriculture and timber harvesting. The resolution formally petitions Congress to enact legislation releasing all wilderness study areas and inventoried roadless areas, allowing for multiple-use management of these public lands unless Congress specifically confirms their inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System. Additionally, the resolution urges federal agencies like the Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior to evaluate the potential impacts of land management alternatives on watersheds and water rights. The document emphasizes the need to implement scientific adaptive management and fulfill federal mandates for forest and land management, with the ultimate goal of securing rights for Montana citizens to use public lands for various purposes while maintaining environmental protections.