PHOTO: Fifty Montanans are expected at the State Capitol today for a rally to show displeasure with legislative plans to look at transferring federal public lands to state control. Photo credit: Deborah C. Smith

HELENA, Mont. – Montanans loaded on to buses early this morning to attend a rally today at the State Capitol to show displeasure with legislative actions to try to transfer national public lands to state control.



A petition will be presented to Gov. Steve Bullock with more than 3,000 signatures against the idea.



Land Tawney, executive director of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, says access and money would be lost.



"They're looking at doing another study – another waste of taxpayer money,” he states. “And they're also looking, trying to promote this transfer of public lands, which all we see as a smokescreen to the actual sale of public lands."



Bullock is scheduled to speak at the event, and Tawney says about 500 people are expected – with buses arriving from Billings, Bozeman, Missoula, Great Falls and Butte.



A new Conservation in the West poll shows more than two-thirds of voters believe federally managed lands belong to everyone and not to a particular state.



Tawney adds that firefighting, trails, roads, biologists, land management experts and fences are just some of the expenses the state would have to assume, and the budget just isn't that big.



"The only way they're going to be able to manage that land is to be able to raise taxes, which we don't think they'd do,” Tawney points out. “They'd sell it.



“Public lands aren't necessarily managed perfectly, but we'd rather work within that system than throw that baby out with the bathwater."



The rally is being organized by Montana Wilderness Association and Montana Wildlife Federation. It begins at noon.



