December 17, 2025
Mr. Downing introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
To release from wilderness study area designation certain land in the State of Montana, to improve the management of that land, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act
.
Sec. 2. Findings
Congress finds that—
(1)
under the Montana Wilderness Study Act of 1977 (Public Law 95–150; 91 Stat. 1243), 9 wilderness study areas comprising a total of 973,000 acres of land in the State of Montana were set aside for the Secretary of Agriculture to evaluate the suitability of the wilderness study areas for designation as wilderness, in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), with the evaluation to be completed not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of the Montana Wilderness Study Act of 1977 (Public Law 95–150; 91 Stat. 1243);
(2)
between 1979 and 1986, the Chief of the Forest Service—
(A)
completed the studies of the 9 wilderness study areas referred to in paragraph (1); and
(B)
based on those studies, determined that 608,700 acres of the original 973,000 acres designated as wilderness study areas by the Montana Wilderness Study Act of 1977 (Public Law 95–150; 91 Stat. 1243) were unsuitable for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System, including the 81,000 acres within the Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Area;
(3)
in 2021, following a 6-year collaborative process, the Forest Service again determined, in the revision of the Helena Lewis and Clark National Forest plan, that the Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Area is unsuitable for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System;
(4)
under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), 38 wilderness study areas comprising a total of 447,327 acres of land in the State of Montana were set aside by the Bureau of Land Management to evaluate the suitability of the wilderness study areas for designation as wilderness, with the evaluation to be completed not later than 15 years after the date of enactment of that Act;
(5)
in 1991, the Director of the Bureau of Land Management submitted to the President a recommendation on the suitability for designation of the areas described in paragraph (4), which was subsequently submitted to Congress, under which the Director of the Bureau of Land Management determined that 273,828 acres in the State of Montana designated as wilderness study areas by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) were unsuitable for wilderness designation, including—
(A)
the 11,380 acres of land within the Hoodoo Mountain Wilderness Study Area; and
(B)
the 11,580 acres of land within the Wales Creek Wilderness Study Area;
(6)
in 2020, following a 5-year collaborative process, the Bureau of Land Management, in the revision of the Missoula Resource Management Plan—
(A)
reaffirmed that the Hoodoo Mountain Wilderness Study Area and the Wales Creek Wilderness Study Area were unsuitable for wilderness designation; and
(B)
recommended alternative management parameters for the Hoodoo Mountain Wilderness Study Area and the Wales Creek Wilderness Study Area;
(7)
despite the recommendations of the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, after the completion of the studies for suitability of the land in the State of Montana designated as wilderness study areas under the Montana Wilderness Study Act of 1977 (Public Law 95–150; 91 Stat. 1243) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.)—
(A)
over 1,100,000 acres of public land in the State of Montana remain as wilderness study areas until Congress acts; and
(B)
over 700,000 acres of public land in the State of Montana currently designated as wilderness study areas have been determined unsuitable for wilderness management;
(8)
if the wilderness study area designation was removed from each of the Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Area, the Hoodoo Mountain Wilderness Study Area, and the Wales Creek Wilderness Study Area, land managers would be able to better conserve and manage the areas in accordance with applicable land and resource management plans that retain certain protections for the areas, while providing for—
(A)
enhanced sportsmen opportunities in the backcountry of Montana;
(B)
improved public access; and
(C)
the conduct of wildlife habitat and wildfire mitigation projects;
(9)
the applicable land and resource management plans referred to in paragraph (8) were developed through a multi-year, collaborative process supported by—
(A)
resource needs and conditions; and
(B)
the best available science; and
(10)
following release, the respective land management agencies shall continue managing the areas described in paragraph (8)—
(A)
in accordance with applicable environmental and administrative laws; and
(B)
based on local input, multiple-use and sustained yield principles, and land management objectives.
Sec. 3. Release and improved management of land comprising certain wilderness study areas
(a) Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Area
The approximately 81,000 acres of land comprising the Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Area—
(1)
shall no longer be subject to section 3(a) of the Montana Wilderness Study Act of 1977 (Public Law 95–150; 91 Stat. 1244); and
(2)
shall be managed in accordance with the applicable land and resource management plan most recently adopted under section 6 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604).
(b) Hoodoo Mountain Wilderness Study Area and Wales Creek Wilderness Study Area
The approximately 11,380 acres of land comprising the Hoodoo Mountain Wilderness Study Area and the approximately 11,580 acres of land comprising the Wales Creek Wilderness Study Area—
(1)
shall no longer be subject to section 603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1782(c)); and
(2)
shall be managed in accordance with the applicable land management plans adopted under section 202 of that Act (43 U.S.C. 1712).