[MCN] Dear Senator Daines (Part III)

[John Meyer]

Dear Senator Daines,

As you know, last night was community conservation night in Bozeman (Green
Drinks). Many constituents were disappointed that you or your staffers were
not able to attend a major event in your home town.

In particular, several members of the public asked why you are still
working to fund the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station even though commissioners
for MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks, USDA Secretary Vilsack, and the
Interagency grizzly bear study team have all asked that sheep not be grazed
in the Centennial Mountains. The lead scientist at the Sheep Station has
said that eliminating grazing in the Centennial Mountains is "not that big
of a deal."

If sheep were not grazed, over 16,000 acres of federal land could be opened
to the public, which is now closed to hunters and all other recreationists.

Other members of the public asked why you called Cottonwood's recent win
for Canada lynx "disastrous
<http://missoulian.com/news/local/lynx-rule-becomes-law-of-land-but-will-the-law/article_1069fa73-5147-5091-8fe5-f1d83ff07d61.html>"
and why it would "delay much needed restorative management work."

I worked to quell people's fears by telling them that Cottonwood has
initiated discussions with MT FWP to develop a "collaborative" and
"restorative" timber sale with the Forest Service that would allow bighorn
sheep to be reintroduced to Bighorn Mountain in the Gravelly Mountains. I
told the Green Drinkers that reintroducing bighorn sheep would increase
hunting opportunities where none currently exist.

Before the community event, I discussed the collaborative logging project
with one group that is regularly referred to as a serial litigator. They
said they would not litigate the timber sale if the wood stayed in Montana
and was sold as a finished product in Montana.

Senator Daines, should wood that is grown in Montana stay in Montana?
Should it be sold as a finished product in Montana communities? Do you
think we can get Montana voters to support the idea?

Loggers, hunters, bighorn sheep and lynx all look forward to hearing from
you,










-- 

<http://www.cottonwoodlaw.org>

John Meyer
Executive Director & General Counsel
Cottonwood Environmental Law Center
P.O. Box 412 Bozeman, MT 59771
John at Cottonwoodlaw.org
(406) 546-0149

The information contained herein is privileged and confidential. If you are
not the intended recipient, you must delete this email and inform the
sender of the error.

www.cottonwoodlaw.org
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