As the days grow longer and the light slowly returns, it is a hopeful time. Bear cubs are born in their dens, fish rear in streams. Life renews. It is the season when we make wishes and resolutions. Let’s remember to include our wildlife and wildlands resources.
May the wildlife, fish and wild spaces of our region thrive. May old-growth forests continue to grow older. May there be an ample snowpack that doesn’t melt too soon and a season of smoke-free skies. May the native trout be spared another summer of scorching temperatures and low flows.
May we resolve to be Bear Smarter in all aspects and end the black bear parade throughout the Missoula urban area and other places across Montana. No excuses for breaking this resolution as we have all the information we need and without buy-in from all, eventually it’ll be a grizzly bear knocking over trash cans in your neighborhood.
A big item on the wish list is for the state and federal land and wildlife management agencies to resolve to end their Scroogian tactic of releasing complex and controversial plans with short comment periods over the holidays.
The “stealth release” is a tactic meant to limit public knowledge, comment and involvement. For example, the Flathead National Forest announced the highly controversial proposal for expansion of the Holland Lake Lodge into a four-season resort over the Labor Day weekend with a short comment period. They intended to use a Categorical Exclusion with a checklist-style environmental analysis with no public objection process. It appears they have done it again by issuing a Special Use Permit for a new outdoor adventure company to operate the ski trails around the historic Izaak Walton Inn, apparently without any public notice or comment.
The other variation on this theme is “the holiday dump.” Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks released its Statewide Grizzly Bear Management Plan and EIS comprising over 450 pages with just a 30-day comment period running over the holiday season. Joining the party, the Bitterroot National Forest released its Eastside Project with a comment period over the holidays. In previous years the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has also used this tactic on grizzly bear recovery and management.
In a hybrid of the two approaches the Bureau of Land Management recently released its massive Clark Fork Face logging and roadbuilding project in the Garnet Mountains comprising hundreds of pages of documents with just an 11-day public comment period. There was practically no public notice and no public meetings in Missoula, not even virtually. Under pressure, BLM recently expanded the comment period.
Like the BLM, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has responded to public backlash and extended the comment period on the Statewide Grizzly Plan. These are victories for public process that came about through public action. However, the agencies shouldn’t have to be told to fully involve the public including having their staff available to help the public understand their proposals which they cannot be over the holidays.
After the disastrous Holland Lake roll-out, the public at large is aware of stealth release and holiday dump tactics and are tired of the excuses. The public not only deserves the right to comment, but also to be heard and their input taken seriously without trickery employed to minimize public involvement.