The access battle has been raging in Montana for years, particularly along the Ruby River. Landowners try to keep anglers out. And anglers try equally hard to get in.

A new law designed to clarify stream access has been introduced, and New West (an online magazine worth reading) lays out the latest stream access legislation for us, including this explanatory passage:

Sponsored by Sen. Lane Larson, D-Billings, the bill would define and codify public access to streams and rivers from a county bridge adjacent to private property. Under the law, ranchers wishing to control livestock or private landowners with other uses would be allowed to attach fences to county road bridges or abutments, so long as the fence provides “adequate” public access to streams and rivers.

Landowners attaching a fence to a public access point would, for example, be required to cover a few feet of their barbed wire fence with PVC piping, use smooth wire at that section, or build a gate. The bill provides $10,000 in funding to the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks to reimburse landowners for steps they take to improve access, and outlines how an arbitration committee would settle disputes.

“They’re doing it now,” said Larson, referring to the actions of private landowners to attach fences. “They’re not attempting to keep their cows in, they’re attempting to keep people out.”

Issues like this don’t make for entertaining blog fodder (unless you’re making farting noises with your armpit while reading this).

Still, coupled with the privatization discussion below, it’s clear what’s become the Underground’s Massive Issue of the Week So Far.

Source: Montana Stream Access: New Legislature, Old Problem | Politics | New West Network

[tags]montana, stream access, ruby river, new west, larson, fly fishing[/tags]

Posted in News.