Many people opposed the transfer of the public land to the state because they have been fed a false narrative that the people least capable of protecting Montana's beautiful land are the people of the state of Montana. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Nobody is more equipped to preserve Montana's scenic splendor and riches than Montanans, and it is time that ownership of public land must be transferred from the federal government to the state.
The mismanagement by the federal government of the beautiful forests of Montana has resulted in many catastrophes, including wildfires, smoked-filled summers, decimated wildlife, polluted water, blocked access to recreational spots, and reduced economic activity.
This mismanagement results from poor or slow decision-making by the people in Washington. The people who proposed various solutions are unaware of the actual realities on the ground. Therefore, they cause unnecessary hardships, multi-millions of losses, and in some cases, the loss of human life.
Another criticism against the transfer is that there would be a surge in the number of mining and water rights breaches and that the massive land transfer would be too much for the state to handle. However, many Montanans support an arrangement where all the mining, water, and grazing rights must be protected as they were when these lands were owned federally.
Moreover, Montana's people support small and incremental transfers where each county is prepared enough to handle that transfer. Similarly, this land transfer from the federal government to the state and local officials can boost the budgets and help create jobs.
State ownership will also give the people of Montana more say on how they would like to see a particular land develop. It is time that the decision-making process about land must be done by the state rather than some distant official sitting in Washington, and the idea that Montanans cannot protect their own land must be buried as they have the right to their land more than anybody else.
