Montanans’ right to hunt and camp on our majestic lands, as well as our right to fish in our pristine rivers is in jeopardy. We live in the bosom of nature and as American citizens it should be our prerogative to enjoy it without the threat of lawsuits from the wealthy.
Sen. Steve Daines doesn’t see it like this. He supported William Pendley, a zealous advocate for selling off our public lands. Pendley was appointed to lead the Bureau of Land Management, the institution whose purpose is to protect our lands from billionaire out-of-staters and mining and oil companies.
Fortunately, we have other leaders such as Gov. Steve Bullock, who since the beginning of his career has legislated consistently to protect the environment and our access to it. As assistant attorney general two decades ago, he thwarted Pendley’s attempts to invalidate our stream access laws. And thanks to the governor’s recent legal battle in federal court, Pendley has been removed from the bureau.
If elected as our senator, Steve Bullock will continue to defend the public lands legacy established by President Theodore Roosevelt. It’s up to us to make this happen.
John Thompson
Bozeman
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letter to the Editor 10/24/20