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Land Board unanimously approves timber sales, property transactions and launches scoping and rulemaking
Summary
At its April 20 meeting the Montana Board of Land Commissioners unanimously approved timber sales, a preliminary cabin and homesite sale, easements and a reciprocal access agreement, and voted to begin scoping and rulemaking after brief public comment from agricultural and conservation stakeholders.
The Montana Board of Land Commissioners on April 20 unanimously approved a package of routine land-management actions and voted to initiate scoping and rulemaking on two items following brief public comment.
Amanda Kaster, director of the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, presented the items, which included timber sales listed as item 0426-1 (lots A–D), preliminary approval to sell a cabin and homesite (0426-2), several easements (0426-3) and a reciprocal access agreement (0426-4). For each item a board member moved approval and the motion carried without recorded opposition.
The board then considered requests to initiate scoping (0426-5) and rulemaking (0426-6). During those items two members of the public spoke: Rayleigh Honeycutt of the Montana Stock Growers Association and Beckie Williams of American Prairie. The minutes record their participation but do not provide the content of their remarks. Christi Jacobsen, Secretary of State, moved approval of the scoping request (seconded by Commissioner James Brown); James Brown later moved to initiate rulemaking (seconded by Susie Hedalen). Both motions carried unanimously.
Why it matters: these routine approvals clear DNRC to proceed with sales, easements and administrative steps that implement trust land management; initiating scoping and rulemaking starts formal processes that will include further notice and opportunities for public input before any rule or project is finalized.
What’s next: the minutes note that the summary minutes and audio recording are a draft record that will become official upon Land Board approval at the next meeting. The Land Board uses the audio recording as the official record as authorized by 2-3-212, MCA.
