He also asked the court to send the recommendations back to Bullock and the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and order officials to conduct properly noticed public meetings that meet the constitutional standards.

The complaint is aimed at Bullock’s recommendation to nominate 5.1 million acres of national forest land in Montana for restoration, under the new farm bill. The bill allows governors to nominate landscapes affected by insects and disease.

Kelly said Bullock’s recommendation to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture “was hatched by seven people over the course of five conference calls that deliberately avoided any opportunity for public input.”

In response, Bullock defended the plan as “the product of collaboration by conservationists and forest rangers, county commissioners and the wood products industry.”

“We proposed a responsible plan that seeks to break the gridlock that has, for too long, prohibited thoughtful management of our federal lands and had disastrous impacts on the health of our forests,” he said. “While we’re only at the beginning of this conversation, Montanans can be excited about healthier forests, improved watersheds, habitat and fisheries, increased recreational opportunities and good paying jobs.”