Outdoor gear sales representative Chris Ennis added the move would be bad for the state’s recreation industry. Recent studies show the state’s outdoor economy supports 64,000 jobs and $6 billion in economic activity.

“Bills like this are a direct threat to that livelihood,” said Ennis, a member of the industry group Montana Outdoor Alliance. “I see two problems. First, it’s not the state’s business to do this – these are federal designations. And second, getting rid of all wilderness study areas is as stupid as saying we want all these areas to be wilderness. We need to complete the studies.”

White in his justifications noted that the 1977 federal law creating the study areas called for those reviews to be completed within five years. That has led to lawsuits over what uses are appropriate, burdens on court systems and “wide swings in executive branch philosophy regarding the administration of these lands … costing the public millions of dollars as forest assets burn and deteriorate and as investments in forest road construction and improvements are being deliberately destroyed.”

The legislation has its first hearing on Monday.

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