CAN ANYTHING MOVE SLOWER THAN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?

Baucus Comes Through for Hunters on Open Fields Hunting Access Program

By Bill Schneider, 2-18-10

	Senator Max Baucus

Lately, it seems, I’ve been doing a lot of bemoaning about our inept political system, but alas, sometimes it does work.

Back on November 5, I devoted my column to pushing the USDA to fund a new hunting access program called Open Fields that Congress passed as part of the 2008 Farm Bill.

The program, lobbied into the massive bill by Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Pheasants Forever and forty other conservation groups was a major victory for sportsmen and women. Then, even though conservationists repeatedly voiced concern about the timing being critical, the USDA decided to take its sweet old time about finishing up the administrative rule necessary to kick loose the $50 million called for in the legislation. This prevented the actual distribution of funds to volunteer state hunting access programs, such as Montana’s Block Management Program.

Any additional delay, conservationists warned, could greatly damage the new program because there’d be no on the-ground success stories when Open Fields came up again for re-authorization again in 2012.

The staff of Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) read that column and did something about it. Montana’s Senior Senator sent a strongly worded letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and encouraged him to “expedite the rulemaking process that will facilitate funding and implementation” of the Open Fields Program.

“Congress passed and the President signed this legislation to provide a fast and efficient remedy to declining public access to good hunting and fishing opportunities on the private lands that often provide the best sporting opportunities,” Baucus wrote. “Because ranchers and farmers are already beginning to make decisions on 2010 crops and grazing areas, the state fish and wildlife agencies are going to need to enter discussions with them at the earliest possible date to offer proposals for new public access to their lands.”

Baucus then urged Vilsack to make the funding “a high priority” so sportsmen and women “can enjoy the intended access opportunities.”

Surprise, surprise. Vilsack actually did it. As part of President Obama’s recently released budget request, the USDA included full funding for Open Fields.

“The Open Fields program will build on the success of Montana’s Block Management Program ensuring future generations of Montanans will have a place to hunt,” Baucus said in an email to NewWest.Net after learning about Vilsack’s decision to include Open Fields in his budget. “I want to make sure our children and grandchildren can enjoy the outdoors like we do now. I worked hard to get the Open Fields program funded…Now we need USDA to get this program up and running so sportsmen and landowners can see its benefits.”

But--and there always seems to be a big but, eh?--a budget request is a lot different than money actually hitting the ground and opening more land to public hunting. That actually hasn’t happened yet and the continued delay has frustrated conservation groups working hard behind the scenes.

In this case, though, friends in high places stayed with the program instead of simply writing a letter and moving on to the next political opportunity. Baucus’ office continued to dog Vilsack’s office and has just now received a letter from USDA spokesman Brandon White stating that assuring Baucus that Open Fields is “scheduled to be implemented (i.e. funded) early this year.”

In response, Baucus’ office released this statement to NewWest.Net today: “Max has received a response from USDA and is encouraged by the agency’s commitment to move forward with the Open Fields Program early this year. Max will continue to watch carefully to ensure this program gets off the ground as soon as possible.”

Without Baucus’ continued pressure on USDA, I suspect the federal government would’ve continued to delay spending the money until at least next year, so when Open Fields money finally starts pouring into state hunting access programs this spring, sportsmen and women can thank Senator Baucus for making it happen.

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