Massive wilderness bill up for hearing in Congress

By Nick Gevock, of The Montana Standard - 10/11/2007

A controversial bill that would designate millions of acres of wilderness across the northern Rockies will take its first step forward in a decade this month as a U.S. House subcommittee holds a hearing on the measure.

The Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act would affect more than 23 million acres across five states. The bill calls for wilderness designation of 7 million acres in Montana, 9.5 million acres in Idaho and 5 million acres in Wyoming, mostly on roadless land. It includes more than 3 million acres in Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Glacier national parks.

It would also create a “wildland recovery project” that would decommission more than 6,000 miles of roads throughout the region. Proponents, including the Helena-based Alliance for the Wild Rockies, say the bill would create hundreds of jobs in habitat restoration and road decommissioning work.

This won’t be the first time around for NREPA, as the bill is known by supporters and opponents alike. The alliance has pushed for the bill’s passage for nearly two decades, although it has never gone far toward becoming law.

This time, it has 114 co-sponsors and is being carried by Reps. Carolyn Maloney, D-New York, and Christopher Shays, R-Conn.

But the bill, which will be heard before the National Parks, Forests and Public Lands subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee, remains a long shot. It will likely be fiercely opposed by any number of interests, including motorized users.

And the proposal, while garnering support from more than 100 lawmakers, has traditionally been opposed by representatives and senators from both parties in the states it would affect.

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., has opposed the bill in the past. Barrett Kaiser, Baucus’ spokesman, said the senator remains opposed to people from the East Coast dictating public land management in Montana.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said in an e-mail that he is uncomfortable with any law on public land coming from the “outside in.” Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., is also opposed to NREPA, spokesman Bridger Pierce said Wednesday.

Rehberg said in an e-mail that sweeping measures coming out of Washington are not the best way to manage public lands.

“It’s a top-down approach that doesn’t properly take into account the impacts on the local economy nor does it adequately protect access for hunting, fishing and other forms of recreation,” Rehberg said of the bill. “I also have concerns this bill could negatively impact Montana’s ability to fight and prevent forest fires.” The hearing on the bill is scheduled for Oct. 18.

Reporter Nick Gevock may be reached at nick.gevock@mtstandard.com.