SB 83 comes up for a hearing today in House Fish, Wildlife and Parks. This bill started out as a protest to a proposed transplant around the Lewis and Clark Caverns. Due to landowners concerns, and FWP following their own process, the transplant didn't move forward. That's not good enough for some lawmakers though. The original bill would have been so restrictive and poorly worded that it would have forever precluded FWP from augmenting sheep herds or having new herds in new locations.
Amendments in the Senate softened the bill somewhat so that augmentations could still go forward and the existing planning for the transplant in the Bridgers could also move forward, but any new tranplants of Bighorn Sheep could be vetoed by one landowner in the neighboring vicinity.
This bill needs to die. Call the Legislative phone line at 406-444-4800 and tell them that you oppose SB 83.
No amendments, no fixes, just kill the bill. FWP's process works, despite what a few will say in order to stop the growth of Bighorn Sheep in Montana. If this bill goes forward, no amount of bonus points will matter due to decreased opportunity. Enough is enough.
Amendments in the Senate softened the bill somewhat so that augmentations could still go forward and the existing planning for the transplant in the Bridgers could also move forward, but any new tranplants of Bighorn Sheep could be vetoed by one landowner in the neighboring vicinity.
This bill needs to die. Call the Legislative phone line at 406-444-4800 and tell them that you oppose SB 83.
No amendments, no fixes, just kill the bill. FWP's process works, despite what a few will say in order to stop the growth of Bighorn Sheep in Montana. If this bill goes forward, no amount of bonus points will matter due to decreased opportunity. Enough is enough.