East Crazy Mountain Land Exchange

[MTelkHuntress]

I'd recommend everyone listen to (or read) this article - 30 minutes, and worthwhile. Randy is quoted in it too.

https://archive.is/2024.10.23-180116/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/yellowstone-club-real-estate-public-land-montana-crazy-mountains.html

In case folks don't want to pay to read. I wish I had read it sooner.

 

[COraggy]

Good on you, @RobG

Curious if RMEF is involved or has weighed in?

I don't know the minutiae of Montana land politics, but I like it when I see coalitions of stakeholders working around the table on something.
You give what have to and keep what you can. There will be those who did not so much as comment who will complain.

Checkerboard is curse. There will always be someone who doesn't like the outcome of swaps, but how else can we fix such a mess?

Raucous threads about corner crossing aren't going to do it. Nor lawsuits really.

to be honest I don't think RMEF would be of help... throw them some money and they will look away and make a public statement of distraction.... an area I hunt(ed) in CO is going thru a land exchange that we've been fighting for years. I got a trespass ticket from CPW that basically said this is bullshit but because of pleasing the the landowner he had to issue the ticket.... judge threw it out without having a court date. money talks over public land! good luck to you in the fight I truly hope it works out... ours was approved despite our efforts but its in somewhat of an appeal which to me is just prolonging the inevitable. Seldom does the public in CO win over private and government IMO.

 

[Irrelevant]

What are everyone's thoughts on this, as it seems to be a done deal?

The public got hosed. Which is what almost everyone thought would happen.

 

[Zac-K]

The public got hosed. Which is what almost everyone thought would happen.

Sad but true.

I had hope though after the south crazies land exchange actually worked as the process should in my opinion. That one after looking at the public comment and reevaluating, the Forest Service actually did what the overwhelming amount of public comment implored which was only do two of three parts of the LEX and keep/maintain key access.

This one it was clear from the start the billionaires and politicians learned from the public process working there….they went full on wolf in sheep’s clothing at first with a fake “public scoping” via the invite only crazy mountain working group which kept dissenting opinions out of the club but in the end they threatened and exerted power once the process was being held up due to the public nearly unanimously not in favor of this fleecing of public land, Forest Service completely was submissive and cooperative to the rich and powerful, so much for “caring for the land and serving the people”.

 

[Irrelevant]

Sad but true.

I had hope though after the south crazies land exchange actually worked as the process should in my opinion. That one after looking at the public comment and reevaluating, the Forest Service actually did what the overwhelming amount of public comment implored which was only do two of three parts of the LEX and keep/maintain key access.

This one it was clear from the start the billionaires and politicians learned from the public process working there….they went full on wolf in sheep’s clothing at first with a fake “public scoping” via the invite only crazy mountain working group which kept dissenting opinions out of the club but in the end they threatened and exerted power once the process was being held up due to the public nearly unanimously not in favor of this fleecing of public land, Forest Service completely was submissive and cooperative to the rich and powerful, so much for “caring for the land and serving the people”.

The FS blatantly #@)(*%* the public through incompetence and spinelessness, the forest supervisor should be reprimanded and publicly ostracized for their lack of public service, even if they would have lost a legal fight I would prefer to go down swinging. BHA tried to hold their feet to the fire but it just wasn't happening.

 

[Irrelevant]

@John B. Sullivan III with some even stronger words

Forest Service authorizes controversial land swap along the eastern portion of the Crazy Mountains

The swap involves more than 15 square miles of property located in three counties.

montanafreepress.org

 

[elkduds]

Forest service has a new boss as of yesterday. You ain't seen nothing yet. Time to get in the fight to preserve and protect public lands.

 

[R.K.]

"While no one gets everything they wanted in collaboration, all were committed to the final goal of consolidating large swaths of public land, increasing public access, and respecting private property"

How the hell did the public get ANYTHING they wanted here? We just wanted what we already had- access to the East Side of the Crazies. Instead, no access point, no low-lying habitat, and laughable access to Sweet Grass Creek.

Is there any recourse at all on this? A lawsuit or injunction?

 

[ismith]

The lowly taxpayers getting the same treatment the Marlboro Ranch's employees used to get.

 

[Brad]

@John B. Sullivan III with some even stronger words

Forest Service authorizes controversial land swap along the eastern portion of the Crazy Mountains

The swap involves more than 15 square miles of property located in three counties.

montanafreepress.org

John Sullivan with the Montana chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers took a sharper tone in his assessment of the decision.

“We are deeply disappointed that the Forest Service has caved to big money and their never-ending goal to lock the public out of public land,” he wrote in a text to Montana Free Press. “Despite overwhelming public opposition from everyday Montanans, the USFS bent the knee to the wealthy and rewarded the illegal actions of landowners who have for years sought private enclaves of extremely valuable public land.” Sullivan went on to criticize the process that led to the Forest Service’s consideration of the swap, arguing that it “would not have happened” without the influence of U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, who pressured the Forest Service to modify its access position to address landowner concerns, and “individuals involved in the Crazy Mountain Access project faking public support.”

I have no idea how anyone that supports public lands could ever support Steve Daines... the man is a disgrace.

 

[INMT]

John Sullivan with the Montana chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers took a sharper tone in his assessment of the decision.

“We are deeply disappointed that the Forest Service has caved to big money and their never-ending goal to lock the public out of public land,” he wrote in a text to Montana Free Press. “Despite overwhelming public opposition from everyday Montanans, the USFS bent the knee to the wealthy and rewarded the illegal actions of landowners who have for years sought private enclaves of extremely valuable public land.” Sullivan went on to criticize the process that led to the Forest Service’s consideration of the swap, arguing that it “would not have happened” without the influence of U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, who pressured the Forest Service to modify its access position to address landowner concerns, and “individuals involved in the Crazy Mountain Access project faking public support.”

I have no idea how anyone that supports public lands could ever support Steve Daines... the man is a disgrace.

But but but he has an R next to his name. Mainline media told me how vote. The other party is the anti christ and will start the decline of American civilization.

 

[peterk1234]

But but but he has an R next to his name. Mainline media told me how vote. The other party is the anti christ and will start the decline of American civilization.

Both sides suck. It's unfortunate that our decisions are based on major compromises. But if you think for one second that a democrat sitting in that seat would not have been as easily bought off then you are delusional.

It's all about the money, not what is right.

 

[rogerthat]

Both sides suck. It's unfortunate that our decisions are based on major compromises. But if you think for one second that a democrat sitting in that seat would not have been as easily bought off then you are delusional.

It's all about the money, not what is right.

Not true. John Tester always stood up for public land access. You can say what you want about him and his policies (which I mostly didn’t agree with) otherwise but he was a way better advocate for public lands than Steve daines. Daines has always been a pretender. Nothing about this is surprising.

 

[Irrelevant]

Both sides suck.

Do they? Because from a public land standpoint, it's pretty lopsided. I would hope if you find yourself hating the public land-loving side of the political spectrum, you will go out of your way to make it a point to your preferred political party that they are full of dogshit on public land issues.

 

[Irrelevant]

and “individuals involved in the Crazy Mountain Access project faking public support.”

This little tid bit had me wondering (but also I think I know) who he was referencing...

 

[INMT]

Both sides suck. It's unfortunate that our decisions are based on major compromises. But if you think for one second that a democrat sitting in that seat would not have been as easily bought off then you are delusional.

It's all about the money, not what is right.

About the $$$ indeed. That was more a poke at the people that pull one lever and don’t vote issues, only party. Whether that’s a democrat or republican.