Smoke Elser calls for wilderness: ‘Money in the bank’

Influential citizens from across the state are sending a message to the Montana congressional delegation that Montana needs a wilderness bill this session of Congress.

The conservation leaders sent a letter to Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester and Rep. Denny Rehberg Thursday. It contains the signatures of 14 prominent Montanans and community leaders including retired US and local lawmakers, retired Forest Service officials, famous authors, representatives of faith groups, and leading outdoorsmen. The letter said that many other Western states are working on Wilderness bills and that Montana should be too.

“We definitely need a wilderness bill for Montana and it is past time for a statewide bill,” said Dale Bosworth, former chief of the Forest Service and Missoula resident. “There are many areas that deserve to be designated as wilderness and in my opinion, it would be very helpful to the Forest Service. Having Wilderness designation in limbo for nearly 30 years makes it difficult for the agency to do its job.”

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