Friends of the Missouri Breaks Monument

Breaks proposal unveiled
Preliminary plan calls for closure of 70 miles of road

FORT BENTON -- The Bureau of Land Management Tuesday unveiled its preliminary management plan for the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, including a controversial proposal to close roads and restrict vehicle access.

About 60 people crammed a banquet room at the Grand Union Hotel in Fort Benton to hear ranchers, hunters, conservationists, private interests and a representative from Rep. Denny Rehberg's office comment on the plan.

The one-hour comment period kicked off a two-day meeting of the Central Montana Resource Advisory Council on the Breaks Monument. The advisory council is working with the BLM to produce a plan to manage the monument by 2005.

So far, about 5,700 people have commented by mail and in public meetings on how best to manage the 377,000-acre national monument.

The preliminary alternative released Tuesday calls for closure of 70 miles of approximately 525 miles of existing roads.

The plan targets roads that cause erosion or parallel existing roads. It also would close short road spurs that leave the main track, monument Manager Gary Slagel said.

"This is an evolving document," added Dave Mari, BLM Lewistown field manager. "We have to accept the fact that there will be changes to that preferred alternative between now and when the draft EIS comes out."

Some RAC members and members of the public accused the BLM of rushing the resource management plan.

In fact, some members of the resource council were surprised to learn they were expected to provide a recommendation about the preliminary plan by the end of the day today.

"The process needs to slow down," said Tony Bynum an audience member from Browning. "The people need to be more involved."

Responding to the concerns, Mari said, "I feel compelled to stick to the schedule."

The public will have opportunity for further comment at 11 regional public meetings once the BLM releases the draft resource management plan in July.

Tuesday's meeting drew a wide cast of public interests and individuals who made comments. Most favored fewer restrictions.

Outfitters Bill Marsik urged the resource council to allow maximum public access.

"If you look at this as an inclusory process," Marsik said, "then I think you have done what we are asking of you, which is to keep the public on the public lands."

Jay Bodner, natural resource coordinator for the Montana Stockgrowers Association, said the RAC must protect private property rights and Montana agriculture.

"Show Montana that the BLM and the RAC is taking care of its number one industry," Bodner said.

On the other hand, Will Patric of the Wilderness Society said nearly all of the monument lies within two miles of existing roads or "two-tracks."

"This monument isn't supposed to be managed like all the other BLM land," Good said. "That's why it's a monument."

It's exactly that attitude, said Ron Poertner of Winifred, that will bring the harshest consequences to people who live and work near the monument.

Doertner urged the resource council and the BLM at Tuesday's meeting to find "reasonable" alternatives for management and make multiple use a priority. He asked them to create a "living plan" that can change with the times.

"We will be impacted forever by the decisions made at these forums," Poertner said.

Others who spoke Tuesday made arguments for and against guided hunting access, airplane landing strips and protected sage grouse and bighorn sheep habitat.

Rehberg in a written statement said he remains opposed to inclusion of 81,000 acres of private land inside the monument.

White Cliffs of the Missouri River, BLM Photo

FRIENDS OF THE
MISSOURI BREAKS MONUMENT
224 W. Main, Suite 280
Lewistown, MT 59457

friends@missouribreaks.org