howler
Active member
here is some info I recieved today mostly about the state land issue..
OK... here is what I found out today:
Visited with Mary Sexton, Director of the DNRC which oversees all state land. The exchange of state land for BLM land is 20,000 acres - acres that are scattered throughout the reservation. She wasn't sure, but thought most of the spots did not have access for hunters (no road to them). They would be exchanged for BLM land that is adjacent to the reservation on the lower west side. This BLM land would become state land and be treated like any other state land. The state gets very little money off the state land presently in the reservation. They would exchange 20,000 acres for 20,000 acres.
I think one of the issues surrounding this is that ranchers who are leasing grazing on the BLM land that will become state land will have to pay more per AUM because they only pay $1.50/AUM on BLM but will have to pay $10/AUM on state land.
I then went and met with Bill Lombardi who is Tester's state manager. Here is what I learned from him:
This land exchange is a part of the water compact that is being negotiated with the Ft. Belknap Tribe. It is one of the last tribal water compacts to be negotiated.
Part of the issue is Phillips County will lose PILT (Payment in lieu of taxes) money fro the Fed. gov. when that BLM land goes to the state and the other 40,000 acres to the tribes. Not sure how much money that will be but plan to find out. The state pays VERY LITTLE for it's state land in each county. There are no longer PILT payments from the state. It is all included in a one-lump payment that the state sends each county... and it is minuscule!
The rest of the issue is that this BLM land that will become a part of the reservation has the Grinnell Knotch in it.
The Grinnell Notch is a very important peice of the equation and sportsmen can not afford to lose this land.. Its over 15K acreas in size
OK... here is what I found out today:
Visited with Mary Sexton, Director of the DNRC which oversees all state land. The exchange of state land for BLM land is 20,000 acres - acres that are scattered throughout the reservation. She wasn't sure, but thought most of the spots did not have access for hunters (no road to them). They would be exchanged for BLM land that is adjacent to the reservation on the lower west side. This BLM land would become state land and be treated like any other state land. The state gets very little money off the state land presently in the reservation. They would exchange 20,000 acres for 20,000 acres.
I think one of the issues surrounding this is that ranchers who are leasing grazing on the BLM land that will become state land will have to pay more per AUM because they only pay $1.50/AUM on BLM but will have to pay $10/AUM on state land.
I then went and met with Bill Lombardi who is Tester's state manager. Here is what I learned from him:
This land exchange is a part of the water compact that is being negotiated with the Ft. Belknap Tribe. It is one of the last tribal water compacts to be negotiated.
Part of the issue is Phillips County will lose PILT (Payment in lieu of taxes) money fro the Fed. gov. when that BLM land goes to the state and the other 40,000 acres to the tribes. Not sure how much money that will be but plan to find out. The state pays VERY LITTLE for it's state land in each county. There are no longer PILT payments from the state. It is all included in a one-lump payment that the state sends each county... and it is minuscule!
The rest of the issue is that this BLM land that will become a part of the reservation has the Grinnell Knotch in it.
The Grinnell Notch is a very important peice of the equation and sportsmen can not afford to lose this land.. Its over 15K acreas in size
