[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 136 (Friday, October 2, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S11383]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                GALLATIN LAND CONSOLIDATION ACT OF 1998

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I am delighted that the Senate has taken 
up and passed S. 1719 and H.R. 3381, the Gallatin Land Consolidation 
Act of 1998. S. 1719, a bill that I have sponsored and that my good 
colleague Senator Burns has cosponsored, is identical to H.R. 3381, a 
bill sponsored by Montana Congressman Rick Hill that has already passed 
the House. These bills complete the Gallatin Land Exchange process--an 
effort that began almost ten years ago.
  In 1993, I had the pleasure of sponsoring the Gallatin Land 
Consolidation and Protection Act that completed phase 1 of this 
exchange. Like S. 1719, that bill was co-sponsored by Senator Burns. 
The House companion in that case was carried by my good friend and 
colleague, former Representative Pat Williams from Montana.
  Together, these bills represent a bipartisan effort where members 
from both sides of the aisle have worked in a cooperative spirit for 
the good of Montana. And these bills represent a broad community 
consensus in Montana about the needs of the Gallatin area for today and 
for tomorrow.
  Mr. President, let me tell you why these bills are good for Montana 
and good for America. In the early 1990s when we first began this 
process, the federal government owned every other section of land in 
the Gallatin Range. As people in the area were fond of saying, you 
could play checkers from Bozeman, Montana to the Yellowstone border.
  And while this pattern might be good for checkers, it was bad for 
just about every other purpose. The Forest Service could not manage 
this unwieldy land ownership pattern. Imagine the frustration of trying 
to manage every other section of land for elk habitat as houses and 
subdivisions spring up in the middle of your forest. And this pattern 
kept the public from even being able to access their public lands.
  Mr. President, this pattern may have made sense when it was created 
as part of the railroad land grants over a hundred years ago, but it 
does not make sense today.
  And that is why I am pleased that we have put our backs into this 
effort and, after ten years, are finally poised to complete this 
project. The pending legislation is supported by Montanans from all 
walks of life. Hunters and fishermen support the exchange because it 
will protect important habitat for elk and moose and will protect 
important fisheries. Conservationists support the exchange because it 
protects important grizzly bear habitat in the Taylor Fork. Loggers 
support the exchange because it will help deliver trees to the local 
mill in Livingston, Montana. And local homeowners, from the Taylor Fork 
to Bridger Canyon, all have endorsed this exchange.
  This consensus did not just happen. It was the result of a lot of 
hard work. I met personally with representatives from each of these 
groups and walked the lands involved in this exchange. I heard the 
concerns of Mike Liebleson from the Bridger Canyon Property Owners 
Association and I heard the concerns from George and Patricia 
Leffingwell. And we addressed their concerns. And we addressed the 
concerns of Montana small mills represented by the Independent Forest 
Products Association. And we met the concerns of the Greater 
Yellowstone Coalition, The Wilderness Society and other local 
conservation organizations. And last, but certainly not least, we 
worked closely with the Forest Service and the Administration to try to 
make sure that this bill reflected their needs.
  Throughout this process, the private party to this exchange, Big Sky 
Lumber Company, has acted in good faith. They have made numerous 
unilateral concessions to increase the environmental benefits of this 
exchange and to address public concerns. Their attorney, Joe Sabol, has 
been instrumental in pulling this package together. Without his efforts 
and those of Bob Dennee, Lands Specialist for the Gallatin National 
Forest, and Kurt Alt, Wildlife Biologist for the Montana Department of 
Fish, Wildlife and Parks, none of this would have been possible.
  Mr. President, this has been a community effort. And, as a result, it 
reflects a community consensus. This is the way that we should resolve 
issues in the West.

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