Passing the Buck on America’s Forests

Western Landscapes

By Matt Singer, 5-12-05

Pat Williams, Montana's former Congressman, jumps into the Roadless debate today and sees a coming victory for America's wildlands. He doesn't step back from chiding the President first, "The President of the United States has boldly decided that Harry Truman was wrong: the buck doesn't stop with the president but rather with our state governors." Williams thinks that Western Governors, with two exceptions (Kempthorne in Idaho and Murkowski in Alaska), will protect most of their roadless areas because we Westerners like our wilderness.

Update: Rep. Williams just may find some support for his theory in the online poll at the Billings Gazette. When I checked the site, 46% opposed any development, while only 9% supported unfettered development. The remained supported limited development. Of course, it is an online poll.

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By Matt Singer, 5-12-05 | comments (2) | email story | print story

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Comments

By CB Pearson, 5-13-05

Once again, Pat nails it. Keeping our Montana public lands wild must be a top priority for all of our political leaders - it is about passing on our Montana to the next generation.

By T R Blank, 5-19-05

I agree,The Federal Government (U S Dept of AG) has again broken its trust to the people who own these last western wild lands.

No state has more on the line than Montana.

The ONLY hope for Montanans to avert a senseless tragedy is for Governor Schweitzer to step in and represent Montana's long term interest to forever retain Montana's terrfic wild lands --such as Pioneers, Swan, \Great Burn , Rocky Mountain Front,

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