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News & Updates, Business for Montana’s Outdoors – Preserving Our Outdoor Assets for Tomorrow’s Entrepeneurs

Spring in Montana, at last, and time for another update on the good work of Business for Montana’s Outdoors – which continues to only be possible with help from all of you.

A lot has been going on related to our priorities in the past several months, and with changes in the administration our good work is now more important than ever. Public land transfer threats, protection of policies protecting our landscapes, funding for habitat preservation and programs related to recreation and access. All of it continues to swirl in our messaging and our active efforts as a business coalition.

Engaging our elected officials both here in Montana and in Washington DC continues to be critically important, as well as collaborating with partners, recruiting new businesses, and continuing the message about the outdoor assets also known as our public lands. Here are a few highlights:

Ongoing Work:

Yellowstone Gateway Business Coalition:
-Our work with this business group in the Paradise Valley continues to be a priority, and we were rewarded recently with a big win, when Senator Tester announced the introduction of his legislation to permanently protect 30,000 acres of land on the border of Yellowstone National Park from the threat of large scale gold mining operations. The news has made a lot of headlines in Montana, and in DC. Here is just one of those articles. http://billingsgazette.com/lifestyles/recreation/tester-announces-legislation-to-ban-mining-near-paradise-valley-yellowstone/article_9745cf51-093d-5321-bd91-900ff880eb81.html

Antiquities Act:
-Last week, President Trump signed an executive order calling for the re-evaluation of hundreds of national monuments across the country. This unprecedented move set off a firestorm of reactions from organizations, communities and interest groups, inciting damage to treasured landscapes, and community economies. Business for Montana’s Outdoors issued our own personal letter to Interior Secretary Zinke http://www.businessformontanasoutdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/BFMO.Zinke-Letter_Antiquities-Act.pdf , urging him to remember the values that he publicly touted while serving in Congress for Montana, and encouraging continued protection of these places. One of Montana’s own, The Missouri River Breaks, is included in the list of monuments to be considered.
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/ap_news/montana/interior-ids-monuments-for-possible-end-to-protections/article_54833e75-bce0-59e2-8a41-6a6448265aa3.html#utm_source=bozemandailychronicle.com&utm_campaign=morning-headlines&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline

LWCF:
-BFMO continues to keep the Land and Water Conservation Fund on our list of high priorities. LWCF still faces an uphill battle in Congress, with pending legislation for both reauthorization and full, dedicated funding. Both Senators Tester and Daines have previously co-sponsored legislation that would reauthorize, though Senator Daines has yet to commit to signing on to full funding legislation.
-The Washington, DC LWCF Coalition is working on a push for support for two Senate bills, one for full funding (Sen. Cantrell) and one for reauthorization (Sen. Burr) and a House bill for reauthorization (Rep. Grijalva).
-Senator Tester continues to be a leader for Montana in the fight for full funding and permanent reauthorization of LWCF.

Public Lands in MT Legislative Session:
-Public land transfer, wilderness designation, public lands day proposals, recognition of economic value of public lands; you name it, it made an appearance this past session in the Montana legislature, with regards to public lands.
-BFMO participated in a public lands coalition that looked at good bills, bad bills, and any and all legislation that dealt with access, protection of public lands, opposition to sale and transfer, and recognition of our public lands as an economic engine.
-Of note: HB5, which was a win for funding Habitat Montana and HJ9, which outlined reconsideration of some 336,000 acres of wilderness study areas in Montana, which survived as a joint resolution. For a full list of public lands bills, and their outcomes, visit the Montana Legislative website. http://laws.leg.mt.gov/legprd/law0203w$.startup?P_SESS=20171

New & Noteworthy

BFMO celebrates 5 Years:
-Business for Montana’s Outdoors will celebrate 5 years of doing good work on behalf of our public lands, and economic development in Montana. To mark this benchmark, we will be hosting several community networking events throughout the summer, the first of which will take place in Missoula on Tuesday, May 16th at Draughtworks Brewery. Additional events to follow from June through August in Billings (June 8), Kalispell, and Helena, culminating with a hallmark event in Bozeman, late August. You will continue to see more information come your way with details.
-BFMO is working on a documentary video highlighting our work, our members, and our dedication to Montana’s public lands, including continued advocacy work and recruiting businesses to leverage our voice here, and in Washington, DC. Look for this to be launched in early June.
-The celebration launch also includes a facelift to our website, as well as an adventure package giveaway that celebrates living, working, and playing in Montana. Check out one of our events, or wait for details on how to enter online! Package includes certificates from Simms Fishing Co., Geyser Whitewater Expeditions, Yellowstone Aerial Adventures, Lewis & Clark Trail Adventures, Yellowstone Safari Co., and more!

Outside is looking for your business – the best places to work!
-Outside Magazine is once again conducting the survey to find the country’s best places to work. Montana has always made a strong showing, with many of our BFMO members making the list over the years – including Mercury CSC, Foundant Technologies, Old Town Creative, Submittable, Wisetail, and others. If you think your company has what it takes, check out the process to be considered. http://www.bestplacestoworkoutside.com/

Publicity:
-BFMO continues to participate in a rotating guest column in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. The piece focuses on elements of public lands protections, recreation, conservation, and the policy and practices that follow. Our latest article, here. http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/opinions/guest_columnists/president-s-budget-shows-no-love-for-public-lands/article_32368e00-c940-5da8-ae56-6f78437a9c3f.html

Thank you for the continued work, and for the interest in helping grow our coalition of business voices speaking on behalf of Montana’s public lands, and our access to them. If you have businesses you would like to engage, please feel free to pass along your referrals, and I’d be happy to do the outreach to bring them on board.

Keep up the good work of making Montana proud.

Kind Regards,

Marne

Marne Hayes
Business for Montana’s Outdoors
http://www.businessformontanasoutdoors.com
406.570.7938
Preserving Our Outdoor Assets for Tomorrow’s Entrepeneurs

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