Earlier this year, a document from the Interior Department was revealed, containing a list of proposed National Monument sites. Many of the locations were in the western part of the country; a total of 14 sites across nine states. One site up for consideration was an area of 2.5 million acres in northeastern Montana, with the hopes to turn it into a bison range.
However, ranchers in the area aren’t too keen on the idea, and have been voicing their opinions. They are upset because they want to be able to oppose the proposed national monument designation. Unfortunately (for the ranchers), national monument designation has a slightly different process and does not require approval from Congress since the implementation of the Antiquities Act of 1906.
The Obama administration claims that they will not go forward with national monument designation without local input from the areas up for consideration. Local residents that would be affected negatively by the national monument have already formed an organization, the Montana Community Preservation Alliance, opposing the proposed designation. Their argument is though the national monument may create more service-oriented jobs, it would only be at the expense of local agricultural jobs. The alliance has already gathered 3,000 signatures in their support. The President’s administration is listening though, and the director of the Bureau of Land Management will be traveling to Montana next month to address residents’ concerns over the proposed national monument designation.
Related articles:
- Fourteen wilderness areas to be considered for National Monument status
- Update on proposed National Monuments
-via Seattle PI
