Grazing, oil and gas production, and sharing our area with guests are some of the things we depend upon so that we can continue to live in Montana. This is especially true in the Upper Missouri region, and I am happy that the RAC's recommendations to you convey this message. Burns also expressed concern that rumors have circulated that Babbitt will visit the area with little notice this weekend. RAC members recommended that Babbitt visit the area in the spring in order to give Montanans sufficient notice. Having represented the people of Montana over the last decade, I can tell you that it is very hard to have public meetings with only a few days notice.
People expect more, and they have a right to.
Burns said he would be disappointed if the rumor of the secretary's unannounced trip were true, considering Babbitt's Jan. 13 promise to work closely with the Montana congressional delegation. Burns is a member of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds the Department of Interior, and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which oversees the Department of Interior's land management policies.