Border bill

The U.S. House of Representatives is about to consider H.R. 1505, also known as the National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act. This bill would allow the Department of Homeland Security to bypass all federal laws regarding the management of our federal lands for a 100-mile distance south of the Canada border.

What this means is that DHS can build roads and infrastructure or even shut down access on all federal lands from the U.S.-Canada border to Polson without any public review.

What does it mean for us? Well for one, the Border Patrol could pave the North Fork Road without any public input or notice. The equipment could literally one day just show up.

But it doesn't end there. Roads could be built along the border through Glacier National Park or the Ten Lakes Wilderness Study Area, and there is nothing you, I, the National Park Service or Forest Service could do or say to stop it.

This bill would circumvent the ability of the American people to participate in our government and give a single federal agency authoritative control of our public lands.

Contact Rep. Denny Rehberg at 406-454-1066 and tell him to withdraw his support for this government land grab.

Stuart Reiswig

Polebridge