U.S. Sen. Jon Tester says he wants to compare notes with Rep. Denny Rehberg on the senator’s wilderness and logging bill.
Tester’s plan would create more wilderness and recommend but not guarantee some logging over the next decade. It is billed as a compromise between the timber industry and environmentalists.
While many other affected forest users are voicing serious concerns to the bill, are from local governments, public land management agency’s, business owners, agriculture, natural resource extraction groups, and multiple use recreation enthusiasts. They were not at the table for the closed-door meetings that crafted this bill.
Rehberg has been holding town halls taking public comment from all concerned and affected citizens on the plan, but so far has withheld his own assessment.
Tester, and bill supporters who has also held open house meetings, but did not seek public questions & comments in a town hall format on the bill.
Tester says the two should get together and compare notes.
Tester a Democrat says Montana would be best served if he and the Rehberg, a Republican, discuss the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act.