Dear Editor: We Must Manage Our Public Lands Better

Dear Editor,

Hunting, angling, and ranching are the cornerstones of our communities in Southwest Montana. As such, our public lands should be managed to support these activities, which are significant economic drivers for our local economy.

However, most of the public lands in Beaverhead and Madison Counties are still available for oil and gas leasing. This is surprising, given that there's very little history of drilling in our counties.

According to BLM, the industry has never drilled "a successful producible oil and gas well" in Beaverhead County. And, for this reason, our county governments receive virtually no royalties from oil and gas development on federal lands.

In contrast, hunting and angling in Beaverhead County alone generate over $167 million for Montana's economy each year. If land in southwestern Montana is made available for oil and gas leasing, it could diminish Montanans' ability to hunt and fish in the Big Hole, Beaverhead, and Centennial Valleys.

It's time we forgo oil and gas leasing in areas that offer no economic return for Montanans, and where public lands are better managed for hunting and angling. By limiting unnecessary oil and gas leasing, we are putting Montana first, instead of lining the pockets of out-of-state corporations.

THOMAS RALSTON

Montana Wildlife