WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today sent a letter to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Bob Abbey asking him to finally release thousands of secret documents relating to the now-infamous “treasured landscapes” document.  That document revealed secret plans to declare millions of acres in Montana as a National Monument using the Antiquities Act.

“Even as a privileged few Montanans have been involved in secretive planning discussions since the very beginning, the vast majority of us were left out of these discussions, and only learned what was happening when a “NOT FOR RELEASE” memo was accidentally released,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Western Caucus.  “In an open government, citizens should never be forced to play catch-up because policies were being drafted behind closed doors.  The continued decision to withhold thousands of critical documents not only undermines the credibility of the BLM, but it violates the foundations of a government that gets its authority from the people.”

Rehberg’s letter thanks Director Abbey for his visit to Malta, Montana, on September 16, but points out that some Montanans have been making plans with the BLM for much longer.  The letter also urges the BLM to finally release the documents it has, thus far, decided to keep secret.

“Public Land for Public Use is shocked and concerned by what we’ve seen in the few documents released so far suggesting that half of all lands under BLM management need special conservation as 'Treasured Lands'," said Executive Director David Galt.  "We are concerned that additional monuments and restrictions through the land use planning process will have a negative impact on public lands, which will result in decreased revenue for our schools and local governments and a loss of jobs across the region.  And we think it’s well past time for the BLM to release the rest of the documents it’s keeping under wraps.”

Public Lands for Public Use is comprised of the Montana Coal Council, the Montana Farm Bureau, the Montana Mining Association, the Montana Petroleum Association, the Montana Rural Education Association, the Montana Stockgrowers Association, and the Montana Wood Product’s Association.

The letter is below:

Dear Director Abbey:

I’d like to take a moment to commend your decision to meet with the Phillips County Commission on September 16 in Malta, Montana, to discuss the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) leaked “treasured landscapes” document.  While this decision is a step in the right direction, the Bureau continues to withhold thousands of pages of public records despite my repeated requests and legislation aimed at releasing them to the public.  As such, I ask that these records be released before your arrival in Montana.

As you know, BLM’s leaked document includes a recommended 2.5 million acres of new National Monuments in Montana, with an additional 4.1 million acres mentioned in related emails between BLM and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which maintains strong links with the American Prairie Foundation (APF).  It has recently come to surface that APF President, Sean Gerrity, met with you last spring to discuss this proposal.  At a recent panel discussion I hosted in Lewistown, Montana, Mr. Gerrity revealed this fact to a crowd of roughly 200 people gathered to discuss BLM’s future plans in Montana:

“Gerrity said he first heard about the “treasured landscapes” last spring and spent time in Washington, D.C., with other landowners at a meeting in which BLM Director Bob Abbey and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar discussed the idea” (Karl Puckett, Great Falls Tribune, Aug. 21, 2010).

APF has embarked on plans to create a multimillion-acre wildlife reserve in Northeastern Montana, which would reintroduce thousands of free-ranging bison and other native species, including wolves, mountain lions and prairie dogs.  There remain unanswered questions regarding APF’s proposal, including whether bison would be managed as livestock or wildlife, and to what extent grazing would occur on adjacent BLM lands.

Furthermore, in a previous letter sent in March, I requested “All records, electronic or otherwise, of meetings or discussions with private groups, individuals or other persons or entities that are not employees of the Department of the Interior where potential National Monument designations were discussed.”  So far, this request has gone unanswered. 

In response to your planned meeting in Malta, and in light of APF’s claims to have met with you last spring, it’s imperative that these documents be released before your meeting in Malta.  While we don’t always see eye-to-eye, I think we can both agree that Montanans have a right to know what, if any, decisions are being made behind closed doors.  When we’re talking about public lands, the public has a right to know. 

Thank you for your consideration, and please don’t hesitate to contact my office if I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,