#MTGov Daily Rundown: Bullock Still Can't Say Whether His GNA Agreement Will Result in More Timber to Montana Mills

Responding to pressure from Greg Gianforte, Governor Steve Bullock finally, after 2 years of inaction, signed a "Good Neighbor Agreement" with the U.S. Forest Service to allow for more state managed timber projects on federal lands. However, of the projects that the governor listed to be carried out under this authority, Bullock still couldn't say whether any had been finalized or would actually result in timber being cut.

"The administration released a list of 13 projects it said will be carried out under authority of the Farm Bill, totaling 62 million board feet of timber.

However, the administration couldn’t say Monday how many of those projects have been made final or resulted in trees actually being logged." -MTN News, 7/18/2017

More than 600 Montana timber jobs have been lost under Bullock. In addition to the hundreds of jobs lost last year, Weyerhaeuser announced the closure of two mills in Columbia Falls last month. Bullock's announcement came as too little too late for those workers, which is why Gianforte has been questioning Bullock as to why it took two years to get an agreement signed.

"Montana should be taking the lead in efforts to provide healthier forests and more timber for our mills. Instead, a lack of leadership in Helena has led to the lack of a Good Neighbor Agreement with the US Forest Service. The governor had tools in his tool box to help with timber jobs, and he’s failed to use them.” -Greg Gianforte, 6/28/2016

In response to the governor's announcement yesterday, Gianforte noted: "“It’s unfortunate the governor needs an opponent to actually get him to do his job.” -Daily Inter Lake, 7/18/2016

Governor Bullock has responded to the criticism by trying to argue that signing the agreement was more a formality and that he had already been working to get projects done. That was contradicted, however, by the U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary on hand yesterday for the signing.

"From a federal standpoint, it allows us to get the work done more quickly." -U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary Robert Bonnie, MTN News, 7/18/2016

Back in October, Gianforte also called on Governor Bullock to release the full $5 million of hazardous fuel reduction funds to stimulate more timber projects. Bullock has, so far, not released the full amount.

"If I were governor, I’d direct the DNRC to move forward, set clear timelines, get people to work, and wood fiber moving from forest to mill. Time is of the essence. Whatever we can do to help this important Montana industry needs to be done." -Greg Gianforte, KGVO, 10/14/2015

Bullock was also spurred to action by Gianforte by that call, as well. From NBC Montana 10/20/2015: