Citizens For Balanced Use

TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE ISSUES THAT CONFRONT OUR ABILITY TO ACCESS AND ACTIVELY MANAGE OUR PUBLIC LANDS.

CITIZENS FOR BALANCED USE (CBU) IS CELEBRATING OUR 19TH YEAR IN 2023 OF PRESERVING ACCESS FOR MULTIPLE USE ON OUR FEDERALLY MANAGED PUBLIC LANDS. WE APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT WE RECEIVE FROM THE THOUSANDS OF OUR MEMBERS AND THEIR HELP, BOTH FINANCIALLY AND THROUGH ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR FEDERAL LAND MANAGERS. MONTANA LEGISLATURE STARTED THEIR SESSION IN JANUARY FOR 2023. CBU TRACKED LEGISLATION THAT MAY AFFECT OUR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS. CBU DID NOT ENGAGE IN ANY LOBBYING DURING THE 2023 SESSION.CBU HAS AN EXECUTIVE BOARD POSITION ON THE TREASURE STATE RESOURCE ASSOCIATION (TSRA) WHICH REPRESENTS MANY INDUSTRIES ACROSS MONTANA. THESE BUSINESSES ARE ACTIVE IN THE MONTANA LEGISLATURE AND HOLD WEEKLY MEETINGS EVERY THURSDAY MORNING DURING THE SESSION. CBU PARTICIPATED IN THESE WEEKLY MEETINGS TO TRACK LEGISLATION THAT AFFECTS THESE BUSINESSES. CBU KEEPS OUR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS INFORMED ON THE LEGISLATION DISCUSSED DURING THESE MEETINGS AND GIVES NOTICE TO OUR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS WHERE THEY MAY PARTICIPATE IN THEIR GOVERNMENT. CBU OBJECTED TO THE DIVIDE TRAVEL PLAN AND ATTENDED THE OBJECTION HEARING IN HELENA IN JANUARY. WE EXPRESSED OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE MASSIVE CLOSURES TO MOTORIZED AND MECHANIZED USE IN THE NEW TRAVEL PLAN. WE ASKED THE FOREST SERVICE TO REEVALUATE THEIR DECISION OF MORE CLOSURES AND URGED THEM TO REVISIT THE DECISION TO ACCOMMODATE OUTDOOR RECREATION BY PROVIDING BETTER ACCESS TO OUR PUBLIC LANDS. OUR OBJECTION WAS DISMISSED AND THE HELENA LEWIS AND CLARK PROCEEDED WITH IMPLEMENTING WHAT CBU BELIEVES WAS A FLAWED PLAN AND DECISION.CBU JOINED WITH OTHER GROUPS IN LITIGATION AGAINST THE HELENA LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL FOREST REGARDING THE SEVERE CLOSURES IN THEIR DIVIDE TRAVEL PLAN. THE FS FAILED TO ADDRESS OUR CONCERNS AND ARBITRARILY CLOSED SEVERAL AREAS AND TRAILS THAT PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE LAND THEY MANAGE. WHEN OUR FEDERAL LAND MANAGERS CLOSE THESE AREAS AND TRAILS WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION, CBU HAS NO OTHER OPTIONS BUT TO FILE LITIGATION. WE ARE HOPEFUL TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN OUR LITIGATION.CBU ATTENDED ANOTHER MEETING IN JANUARY TO DISCUSS THE BRIDGER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT. CBU IS A MEMBER OF THE CUSTER GALLATIN WORKING GROUP (CGWG) OF WHICH WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE WORKING ON THE BRIDGER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT. THIS PROJECT INVOLVES COMPLETING AN INVENTORY OF TRAILS AND GATHERING USER NUMBERS ON THESE TRAILS. SIGN INVENTORY AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT WILL BE COMPLETED AND A PLAN DEVELOPED AND FINALIZED FOR REPLACING AND INSTALLING SIGNS ON TRAILS IN THE BRIDGER MOUNTAINS DURING THE SUMMER OF 2023.IN JANUARY WE ALSO ATTENDED THE BIG ELK DIVIDE RESTORATION COMMITTEE (BEDRC) MEETING IN HELENA. CBU IS A MEMBER OF THIS COLLABORATIVE GROUP WHICH MEETS MONTHLY TO DISCUSS PROJECTS IN AND AROUND HELENA AND THE HELENA LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL FOREST. SEVERAL FUEL REDUCTION PROJECTS ARE BEING PROPOSED AND CBU PROMOTED THESE PROJECTS WITH INCLUSION OF A RECREATION COMPONENT. RATHER THAN OBLITERATE ROADS IN THESE PROJECT AREAS WHEN THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE, CBU IDENTIFIES ROADS AND TRAILS IN THESE AREAS THAT COULD BE PRESERVED AND IMPROVED TO PROVIDE A RECREATION OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC. WITH THE LOSS OF MINING AND TIMBER BUSINESSES IN MONTANA, RECREATION HAS BECOME A PRIMARY ECONOMIC DRIVER IN MANY SMALL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE. DEVELOPMENT OF MOTORIZED AND MECHANIZED TRAIL SYSTEMS ON OUR FEDERALLY MANAGED PUBLIC LANDS IS A LARGE PART OF OUR MISSION. ACCORDING TO THE FOREST SERVICE, 94% OF THE PUBLIC RECREATES ON FEDERALLY MANAGED PUBLIC LANDS OPEN TO MULTIPLE USE. ONLY 6% OF THE PUBLIC RECREATE AND USE LANDS DESIGNATED AS WILDERNESS, ROADLESS, WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS, (WSA) AND AREAS RECOMMENDED AS WILDERNESS (RWA). WITH NEARLY 50% OF OUR FEDERALLY MANAGED PUBLIC LANDS IN MONTANA OPEN TO MULTIPLE USE, THE LARGE MAJORITY OF USERS ARE FINDING LESS AND LESS AREAS TO ACCESS AND ENJOY. CBU WORKS EVERY DAY TO KEEP THESE LAST REMAINING MULTIPLE USE LANDS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.CBU ALSO CONTINUED TO MEET WITH STAKEHOLDERS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOGAN PUBLIC SHOOTING RANGE. THIS PROJECT WOULD PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR RECREATIONAL SHOOTING INCLUDING PISTOL, SHOT GUN, AND RIFLE. THE AREA FOR THIS FACILITY IS ACCESSIBLE YEAR-ROUND. CBU IS WORKING WITH THE MONTANA FISH WILDLIFE AND PARKS TO ACCESS GRANT MONIES TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT. IT IS OUR HOPE WE CAN MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD AS THE FOREST SERVICE HAS CLOSED LARGE AREAS OF THE CUSTER GALLATIN NATIONAL FOREST TO RECREATIONAL SHOOTING. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH A SAFE PLACE TO TARGET SHOOT AND A FACILITY THAT CAN BE MAINTAINED. THE AREA THESE STAKEHOLDERS IDENTIFIED HAS BEEN USE FOR MANY YEARS BY THE PUBLIC ON THIS STATE LAND SECTION. CBU HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER NUMEROUS AGENCIES INCLUDING COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, UNIVERSITY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND FOREST SERVICE TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT. THE GALLATIN VALLEY SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION (GVSA) HAS THEIR MONTHLY MEETINGS ON THE SECOND WEDNESDAY. A REPRESENTATIVE OF CBU ATTENDS THESE MEETINGS TO GATHER INFORMATION ON ISSUES AND PROJECTS DISCUSSED BY GVSA. GVSA GROOMS AND MAINTAINS OVER 140 MILES OF TRAILS IN THE GALLATIN DISTRICT OF THE CUSTER GALLATIN NATIONAL FOREST. MEMBERS OF CBU VOLUNTEER HUNDREDS OF HOURS EACH YEAR TO HELP CLEAR AND MAINTAIN THESE TRAILS TO PROVIDE ACCESS. SNOWMOBILING ALONE GENERATES OVER 20 MILLION IN DIRECT SPENDING IN THE GALLATIN DISTRICT EACH WINTER SEASON. THESE DOLLARS SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES AND SNOWMOBILING PROVIDES THE PUBLIC WITH A RECREATIONAL EXPERIENCE SECOND TO NONE.CBU IS WORKING WITH THE FOREST SERVICE AND LAND OWNER TO IMPROVE THE TRAIL IN BUCK CREEK. THE CURRENT TRAIL DOES NOT PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE BUCK CREEK PARKING AREA BY THE GVSA GROOMER. THE CURRENT TRAIL IS STEEP AND NARROW. THE GROOMER CURRENTLY ACCESSES BUCK CREEK FROM THE DOE CREEK TRAILHEAD AND PARKING AREA. THIS PARKING AREA REQUIRES THE GROOMER TO CROSS HIGHWAY 191 WHICH IS A BUSY HIGHWAY AND CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION. CBU HAS MAPPED AND SURVEYED AN IMPROVED ROUTE FOR THE GROOMER TO ACCESS THE BUCK CREEK PARKING AREA. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE FOREST SERVICE AND PROPERTY OWNER TO FIND A LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE. CBU SUPPORTS THE AVALANCHE CENTER IN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON AVALANCHE AWARENESS AND SNOW CONDITIONS IN THIS AREA. WITH MORE PEOPLE ACCESSING THE BACK COUNTRY FOR BOTH MOTORIZED AND NON-MOTORIZED RECREATION DURING THE WINTER, AVALANCHE SAFETY AND AWARENESS IS VERY IMPORTANT. CBU ATTENDED THE GVSA POKER RIDE AND FUNDRAISER WHICH CONTRIBUTED SOME OF THEIR FUNDS RAISED TO THE GALLATIN AVALANCHE CENTER.CBU ALSO BECAME AWARE OF A NEW GROUP CALLED THE BEAVERHEAD COUNTY COLLABORATIVE (BCC). THIS GROUP WAS FORMED BY TROUT UNLIMITED AND THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP TO CREATE MORE WILDERNESS IN BEAVERHEAD COUNTY. THESE MEETINGS ARE BEING HELD 2 COUNTIES AWAY FROM BEAVERHEAD COUNTY AND OUT OF THE VIEW OF THE RESIDENTS IN BEAVERHEAD COUNTY. THE MEMBERSHIP ON THIS GROUP ARE MAINLY ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND NOT AT ALL REPRESENTING THE MAJORITY OF BEAVERHEAD COUNTY CITIZENS. THEY COME FROM MISSOULA, BOZEMAN, AND HELENA TO PROMOTE MORE WILDERNESS. CBU REQUESTED TO BE A MEMBER ON THIS GROUP AND WERE DENIED. ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS ON THIS GROUP CLEARLY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN BRINGING A BALANCE OF REPRESENTATION OR HEAR OPPOSING VIEWS. ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR MORE LAND OF NO USE AND DESIGNATIONS THAT RESTRICT ACCESS TO 94% OF THE PUBLIC. CBU CONTINUES TO ENGAGE WITH COLLABORATIVE GROUPS TO GIVE A VOICE FOR MULTIPLE USE MANAGEMENT AND ACCESS. THE BEAVERHEAD COUNTY COLLABORATIVE MEETS MONTHLY IN WHITEHALL MONTANA AND CBU WILL CONTINUE TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.THE ACTIONS OF REMOVING BOTH MOTORIZED AND MECHANIZED USE ON OUR FEDERALLY MANAGED PUBLIC LAND HAS BECOME THE NORM IN MUCH OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. CBU IS CONTACTED WEEKLY BY INDIVIDUALS IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES SEEKING ASSISTANCE IN DEALING WITH PROPOSED CLOSURES BY THE BLM AND FOREST SERVICE IN THEIR AREA. CBU PROVIDES THEM WITH THE BEST INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE SCIENCE AND REGULATIONS OF NEPA. WE HELP PEOPLE FORM LOCAL CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND EDUCATE THEM ON THE 2012 PLANNING RULE, FOREST PLANNING RULE AND HOW TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR FEDERAL LAND MANAGERS. IN FEBRUARY CBU ATTENDED THE BRIDGER INFRASTRUCTURE MEETING, THE CUSTER GALLATIN WORKING GROUP MEETING, THE THURSDAY MEETINGS OF THE TSRA, AND THE BDRC MEETING IN HELENA. CBU MET WITH THE BEAVERHEAD DEERLODGE NATIONAL FO0REST TO DISCUSS THE NEW TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PLAN THEY ARE STARTING. WE ALSO MET WITH THE BEAVERHEAD COUNTY COMMISSION TO DISCUSS THE FS TRAVEL PLANNING EFFORT. BEAVERHEAD COUNTY HAS AN ADOPTED RESOURCE PLAN AND GROWTH POLICY WHICH THE FS IS REQUIRED TO FOLLOW IN THE TRAVEL PLANNING EFFORT. COORDINATION IS REQUIRED BETWEEN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES IN DEVELOPING THEIR PLAN. THE FS MUST MAKE THEIR PLAN "AS