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The Bureau of Land Management, led by controversial de facto director William Perry Pendley, has announced plans to remove protections from several Wilderness Study Areas in Montana. Pendley is attempting to create a new designation, the "Backcountry Conservation Area," which would prioritize big game hunting over the needs of the greater ecosystem, while also allowing oil and gas leasing across the conservation areas.
Aubrey Bertram of the Montana Wilderness Association warns that the Lewistown Resource Management Plan, which includes two of the proposed Backcountry Conservation Areas, would allow oil and gas leasing on 95 percent of the 650,000 acres covered by the RMP.
The management plans are part of Montana Governor Steve Bullock's lawsuit that attempts to block Pendley from running BLM while his nomination is pending before the Senate. The lawsuit accuses Pendley of ignoring public input and the recommendations of BLM staff on the ground in Montana.
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We’re elated at the birth of the Lassen Pack’s endearing pups, who are breathing new life into the Golden State’s wolf recovery. These little ones give hope to everyone who wants to see wolves reestablished in the places these beautiful animals once called home.”
