Letter: Put Montana support for Tester bill to vote

Dear Editor:

The carefully crafted illusion of overwhelming support for Sen. Jon Tester’s wilderness bill is evaporating like fog in the wake of Rep. Denny Rehberg’s statewide tour.

Complaints from the floor reveal that during Sen. Tester’s public hearings: opposition voices were not heard “on the record;” that the bill will permanently close portions of the national forest that can provide clean, alternative fuels and good-paying jobs for loggers who remove potential fire fuel; and the senator’s opposition to even consider placing the measure to a vote in those counties likely to be affected by the measure.

Questioned about the lack of public input at Sen. Tester’s recent meetings, Tracy Stone-Manning, his representative, mentioned how at the end of those meetings (and after his selected, invited guests had their say “on the record”), Sen. Tester would close the meeting, walk out and mingle with the crowd and listen to the public for 30 minutes or so. What she failed to mention is the fact that those comments were not documented on the public record.

Range Fuels Inc. out of Colorado has developed technology that uses forest biomass to create ethanol and other environmentally friendly fuels. This can provide logging jobs and frees up corn and grain for food and livestock feed. Let’s use food to feed the hungry.

When questioned as to putting Montana support for the bill to a popular vote, Sen. Tester’s representative spoke of how this national forest land and that people in New York have as much to say about wilderness as we do.

What she and Sen. Tester fail to remember is that he is supposed to be representing Montana, and, if he really believes he has overwhelming local support for his bill, put it to a vote! The primaries are coming up soon.

Richard Funk

Kalispell