Supports stewardship act

Over the course of my career, I’ve been deeply involved with our public lands and the economic benefits these lands bring to our communities. I’ve also spent countless days outside on the trail experiencing the personal benefits that come from spending time in exceptional places like Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

I am well aware that public land management solutions are not easy and in many cases it might take several years to reach solutions. However, as our social and environmental challenges become increasingly complex, we must work together to solve them.

For this reason, I support Senator Tester’s Blackfoot-Clearwater Stewardship Act, which recently received a hearing in the Senate. This is a Montana-made bill that has been over a decade in the making. Instead of a top down decision-making process, the Blackfoot-Clearwater Act is the result of a truly collaborative process. The bill adds nearly 80,000-acres of Wilderness protection onto the Bob Marshall and includes areas for snowmobilers and mountain bikers and supports the local timber industry. This bill supports our outdoor economy that is built on our public lands.

Now that Montanans have done the hard work, both Senator Daines and Representative Gianforte need to support this legislation and do their part to carry the wishes of Montanans forward in Washington D.C.

Jan Metzmaker, Whitefish