The Montana legislature is working to prevent restoration of public-trust, wild bison in the state. HB302 will allow county commissions to veto any restoration of public-trust wild bison in Montana. HB318 will disqualify all possible bison for use in a transplant to restore public wild bison in our state. As part of the Republican “war on wildlife” these bills are being carried with clear party-line votes in the House of Representatives.
For the possible restoration of public-trust, wild bison on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, these bills either ignore, violate, or render meaningless, the following:
Mandates in the Montana Constitution to care for natural resources and objects of historic, cultural and recreational value; and to preserve the opportunity to harvest wild game.
Legislative guidelines for restoring public, wild bison in MCA 87-1-216.
The Montana Environmental Protection Act, for use in making difficult decisions.
Twelve years (so far) of effort and expense by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to develop a statewide plan for restoring a herd of public bison in the state.
Three polls demonstrating that 70 percent of Montanans support bison restoration on the CMR.
The mission statement of the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
The mission Statement of the federal Refuge System.
The U. S. Department of Interior Bison Conservation Initiative.
The National Environmental Protection Act, for use in public decision-making.
The ability of the Russell Refuge to achieve its overall goal of restoring natural ecosystems on the Refuge, as stated in the Refuge Plan.
While touting “Protect public lands” as a smokescreen, Montana Republicans are betraying their public-trust responsibilities to manage a resource for all the people. They are bulldozing a whole history of conservation effort into the refuse pile of the “once best place”.
Thank you,
Jim Bailey, Montana Wild Bison Restoration Coalition
