Marchers protest lands transfer

Gov. Steve Bullock and others spoke to hundreds at a rally in Helena opposing the transfer of federal lands to the state.

Bullock told the crowd waving signs Monday in the Capitol that a transfer would not happen on his watch. He says he has no interest in selling off public lands in order to pay for managing the rest.

In the past few years, some have begun pushing in western states for state takeover of federal lands. Supporters say states can manage their land better than people in Washington, D.C.

Republican Sen. Jennifer Fielder of Thompson Falls has introduced 20 of about three dozen bills total related to federal land management. The bill subjects range from simply continuing to study federal land transfer to calling on Congress to transfer lands to Montana.