USDA lists 'concerns' about Tester wilderness bill (MT)

Montana Standard ^ | 12/17/2009 | MATTHEW DALY

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration says its has several concerns about Sen. Jon Tester's plan to create more wilderness and mandate more logging in Montana's national forests.

Speaking at a hearing Thursday, a top Agriculture Department official says Tester's bill would require logging levels in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest that are ``not reasonable'' and may be unachievable.

Harris Sherman, an Agriculture undersecretary who oversees the Forest Service, also said he was concerned at the bill's cost and mandates that he said could create a harmful precedent for other national forests.

Tester's bill would add 600,000 acres of Montana wilderness, and set aside specific areas for recreation, trails and logging.

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The Junior Senator is getting resistance. (It should be noted one of the speakers in favor of the bill is a logging owner while other logging companies are going out of business)