Resource Coalition talks federal land work, timber harvest

By MONTE TURNER

Mineral Independent

Since 1999, the value of the Montana PILT Program (Payments in Lieu of Taxes} has increased by $25,320,199, an increase of 257.16%.

During the same period, Missoula County’s PILT payment increased 3,171%. Ravalli County increased by 4,903%. Mineral County in the meantime, with a much larger percentage of acres owned by the federal government (nearly 90%), had an increase of 426%.

Breaking that down comes to $2.37 per acre for Missoula County; $2.38 for Ravalli County and $0.53 for Mineral County in 2020. The formula favors those counties with more private property, more population, and more opportunities to increase their tax base.

With only 7% of the land in Mineral County held in private ownership, the opportunity to increase the tax base is severely limited.

This was a big part of the discussion at the Mineral County Resource Coalition meeting held under the pavilion in the St. Regis Park Sept. 1. The MCRC holds no animosity toward either Missoula or Ravalli counties but uses them as a comparison to make their point with this discussion around Mineral County’s economic struggles.

“This has been a band-aid repair at best for Mineral County, so we need to express our frustrations,” said Carol Young, co-chair of the MCRC. A letter from the coalition will be drafted concerning this issue to Senators’ Daines and Tester along with one to Congressman Gianforte.

With President Trump signing the Great American Outdoors Act, funds will begin to be made available to forests for infrastructure maintenance and repair.

Willie Peck, co-chair of MCRC, asked for suggestions and ideas.

“Where you’ve seen dilapidated picnic tables or roads in need of repair or the need for more vault toilets, or curbing, trail clearing or whatever, that’s what some of this money is going to be used for,” Peck said.

Glenn Koepke, retired forester with the USFS, said we need federal law enforcement again.

“We’ve been woefully underrepresented, and we’ve all seen the national forests swelling up with camping which produces litter and other illegal issues that have gotten way out of hand. There used to be a position of a federal officer that didn’t carry a weapon but issued citations if necessary and make a known presence.

“This is federal property and it should be policed and protected by federal law enforcement,” Koepke said.

Diane Magone, chairperson of the Recreation Committee, had good news informing everyone the Murphy Creek workday was successful.

“We didn’t get the fencing installed that day but soon you’ll see a jack-leg fence on the perimeter as volunteers from the Montana Wilderness Association and Great Burn Conservation Alliance donated rough-cut logs and chiseled out the notches which will be delivered soon.”

The U.S. Forest Service report was given by Heather Berman, USFS Recreation Manager, letting the coalition know that their discretionary spending has been cut.

“We are still going to be doing all that we can but partnering up with other organizations will have to be considered. For the overall Forest Service, we will receive thousands of non-earmarked monies where it has been in the millions previously.”

Firefighting positions for the 2021 season will be advertised starting next month as this has become a year-round department. The major campgrounds will start to close the end of September rather than immediately after the Labor Day Weekend.

This is due to the pandemic to allow campers to squeeze as many days as possible. They are looking at fall burning and there is lots of activity on many of the timber sales. “Those logging trucks you have been seeing are going to keep rolling for some time,” she said. Which coincides with the timber report from Peck with Idaho Forest Group. “The lumber market has never been this good so it’s great to be in full operation with almost 100 employees.”