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MISSION STATEMENT
"The mission of PLWA is to maintain, restore, and perpetuate public access to the boundaries of all Montana public land and waters."
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Todd Gunderson, a PLWA volunteer attorney, received a copy of a letter Fergus County Attorney Thomas P. Meissner sent to the Fergus County Commissioners regarding the closure of Mabee road.Mr. Meissner advised the county not to get involved in this case. He stated, "I am sure there are dozens of roads in Fergus County where the issue of prescriptive use could be argued. I believe it would be a mistake for the Board of County Commissioners to support one position or the other in these situations".The Mabee Road runs north from Roy, Montana in Fergus County, and provides the only road access to a large area of the Missouri Breaks National Monument and the CMR Wildlife Refuge. ... (more) |
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take action During this holiday season I feel the need to thank all of you who have contributed to a very successful year for our organization. We are far from winning them all but we have made significant progress in areas such as recruitment, accountability, recognition and respect. Bernie and I and Tony Schoonen can remember only a few years ago when there were a few dozen or so active members and our coffers were nearly empty. ... (more) As you will note in the Billings Gazette story below, PLWA has been involved in this case for a long time. Over 10 years ago we negotiated a settlement , with the hope and understanding that the Forest Service would work out a permanent solution. This historic road has been used by the public for years, and forest management activities such as timber sales and stand improvement would have been impossible without the road. ... (more) Governor Brian SchweitzerE-mail: governor@mt.govCapital StationHelena, MT 59620(406) 444-3111(406) 444-5529 (fax)Senator Max Baucus511 Hart Senate Office Bldg.Washington, D. ... (more) Montana Newspapers[Please note: Letters to the Editor must contain name, address and daytime phone number. To get published , be brief, to the point, and do not call names or put labels on people. )Billings GazettePO Box 36300Billings, MT 59107-6300Fax: 406-657-1208Email: speakup@billingsgazette. ... (more) |
public land newsHOLMGREN FISHING ACCESS SITE( 12/31/2009 )
In yet another sterling effort by the stalwart staff of Region 5 Fish Wildlife and Parks , plans are now being formalized for a critically needed fishing access site on the Yellowstone River between Reed Point and Columbus. Long recognized and advocated by PLWA, this site adds immeasurably to the river access in that reach of the river. 2009 Raffle Results( 12/31/2009 )
2009 PLWA RAFFLE SUCCESS The latest raffle – and our only fund raising event – was a success. We almost doubled the income and, at the same time, doubled the value of the prizes. EXCEPTIONALLY DANGEROUS TAKINGS INITIATIVE( 12/17/2009 )
TAKINGS INITIATIVE - FROM MWF Now out on the street for signatures is a citizen proposed ballot initiative or referendum that could change Montana – forever. The ‘Private Property Rights Preservation Act’ submitted by Charles Denowh is a ‘Statutory Initiative’ meaning it would amend Montana statute allowing lawsuits against Montana for any regulations or actions that might be considered a “taking”. Mabee Road Update( 12/01/2009 ) After extensive research we finally got the Mabee Road report in the mail to the Fergus County Commissioners and Fergus County Attorney. There are several people to thank for their efforts in completing this project. know your rightsCaveat and Disclaimer( 11/28/2008 ) Information on this site is provided as a matter of information and education only. It is not intended to provide legal advice or counsel . Spring Creeks - Access( 10/10/2009 ) Spring creeks are natural water bodies that the in the same as any other stream or river. The only thing that makes them at all different is the nature of spring creeks themselves. |
public land issues| SCENIC VIEW ROAD - OCT 2009 | 
IMPORTANT LOCAL ATTRACTION CLOSEDPrairie County commissioners are in a quandary about what to do after a landowner erected a gate, installed a cattle guard and posted a sign across a road that leads to a popular scenic overlook northwest of the town of Terry.
| | Boadle Road - 2003 -2008 | 
The Boadle Road leading to the south side of the Pishkin Reservoir , a Wildlife Management Area , and public lands beyond had been Illegally locked off by a private party claiming ownership.
| | Lilly Pad and Crater Lakes | 
Lily Pad and Crater lakes lie in a school section about one and a half miles off the West Rosebud road across from the Lazy EL ranch property.
| | Yellowstone River Islands & Access Roads |
There are numerous islands on the Yellowstone River for which ownership is not clear.
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7 more public land issues |
Public Access Objectives
- Educating and informing the public on their ownership and access rights.
- Monitoring public access routes and identifying access problems.
- Initiating legal action when access has been illegally blocked.
- Monitoring public land sales exchanges, and purchases to insure that no transfers are made without full consideration of conservation and recreational values.
- Initiating programs and policies to expand public land and water access.
- Pursuing every legal and ethical avenue to protect and maintain your access to public lands and waters.
What can PLWA Do For You?
Primarily we help hunters, anglers, and other recreationists fight back against the tide of privatization of public land and waters. Montana is changing and part of this change comes from outside interests who think they can grab “ownership” of a river or public land with "No Trespassing" signs, orange paint, barb wire, chains, lawsuits, legislation and other tactics. It takes an organization with “pit bull” mentality like PLWA to deal with these situations. In many cases we are the ones who initiate appropriate legal action and are on the firing line.
PLWA is an all volunteer organization with little overhead. Your donations are almost totally used to press the issue of maintaining access. Member contributions are our only source of income. Usually the deep pockets are on the other side.
We hope you'll take a moment today to join us in our mission to retain the traditional value of access to the public landscapes which make Montana such a special place.
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