Montana Forest Project Clears Legal Hurdle

The U.S. District Court for the District of Montana has officially paved the way for wildfire mitigation and timber production in the Bitterroot National Forest.

The federal court ruled that the U.S. Forest Service can now proceed with the Gold Butterfly Project.

What is the Gold Butterfly Project?

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the project is in Ravalli County east of Corvallis in Southwest Montana.

The multi-year initiative will authorize nearly "5,300 acres of commercial timber harvest and approximately 2,100 acres of non-commercial thinning, prescribed fire, and replanting" according to the DOJ.

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The DOJ says the project will take "several years" but be worth it in the long-run.

"Responsible forest management produces much-needed timber, makes housing more affordable, prevents wildfires, and saves lives," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). "We are combating efforts to weaponize procedural statutes against the responsible use of America’s vast natural resources."

"The court in this case properly remanded to the Forest Service in March to allow the agency to correct limited errors, which were quickly addressed. In last week’s decision, the court rightly deferred to the Forest Service’s analysis of environmental effects."

Is This a Good Move for Montana?

Hey, I don't know about you but jobs, wildfire safety, and housing all sound good to me.

But I want to know what you think? Is there a valid argument out there with good enough reason to prove that this is a bad idea?

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I would love to hear your input or thoughts about it HERE.