More Republican BS in Helena

[Nemont]

Debby Barrett is doing the heavy lifting for UPOM. Don't be fooled by any of this because Debby and UPOM are talking out of both sides of their mouths. They want all decisions to be based on dollars, primarily dollars in Outfitter's pockets. They don't care about resident or DIY hunters. Biology is to be used when it suits them but the economic impact is to be used when that suits them.

UPOM Legislative Action Alert

January 19, 2009



WHAT – Participants needed for Senate hearings on two UPOM supported bills.

The Senate Fish and Game Committee will hear testimony on January 27 on two bills of critical importance to landowners. Members of the public are welcome at these hearings to give their testimony and offer their opinions on state policy. Please come support these two bills.



WHEN – Tuesday, January 27 at 3:00 pm



WHERE – Senate Fish and Game Committee, Room 422 in the Capitol



WHO SHOULD TESTIFY – Any landowners, businesses, or sportsmen who believe FWP decisions should be based solely on biological management, and economic impacts should be given consideration prior to major FWP decisions.



CONTACT DEANNA ROBBINS OR TOBY DAHL FOR MORE INFORMATION.

TALKING POINTS ON BOTH BILLS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON BOTH BILLS LATER THIS WEEK.



***IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO APPEAR IN PERSON, WE CAN PRESENT YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY***



WHAT THE BILLS DO:



SB 162 - Restrict ability to limit hunting permits for certain species

SB 162 stipulates that the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission may not limit the number of permits issued in any hunting district unless the harvest success rate (the number of animals harvested divided by the number of licenses issued) in that district exceeds an average of 30% over 3 years. SB 162 is necessary to halt the trend of the FWP Commission using the permit structure to arbitrarily “punish” landowners in certain areas. The bill allows the Commission to relieve hunter pressure when needed, yet only for biological management. For the purposes of this bill, rifle and archery seasons are treated separately. Under these guidelines, every hunting district will be treated equally when applying limited permits, and limits could only be implemented if there is a biological need to protect herd sustainability.



SB 163 - Make hunting and fishing rules subject to economic impact statement of MAPA

SB 163 closes a loophole that exempted FWP from completing an Economic Impact Statement (EIS) prior to promulgating major rule changes. FWP Commission decisions can have enormous impacts on local economies, but under current law the FWP is the only major state agency not required to study economic impacts of their actions. EIS studies can either be initiated by the agency, or come at the request of at least 15 legislators. This is a very important bill to bring light to the impacts that FWP Commission decisions can have on our local and regional economies.



The immediate economic impact of the restriction on archery hunters implemented for 2009 is estimated to be a loss of almost $3 million of revenue in the Missouri Breaks area alone. This loss will affect nearly every sector of our small communities. County Commissions across Central and Eastern Montana wrote letters of opposition to the limited permits during the public comment period last spring, as did the majority of the commenting public. We ask that you support SB162 and SB163, which would reverse the limits that were implemented for social reasons, not biological.



Click here to read SB162 , and here forSB 163 . Both bills are sponsored by Senator Debby Barrett of Dillon.