laundry list of concerns and ….

laundry list of concerns and challenges Montana officials say they’ve had with Yellowstone’s overall management.

It also alleges that park officials intentionally tried to limit Montana’s access to information about the changes it planned, and ignored requests from state officials to meet and collaborate.

In February 2022, the state claims officials started changing management plans and rushed public comment. During that time, Montana said that it had “explained its frustration at not being consulted or included in the National Park Services’ formulation of alternatives, especially given the contentious history surrounding bison management.”

Montana said that it asked National Park leadership to withdraw the slate of bison management plans then so other meetings could be held, but it took Yellowstone Park officials until June 2023 to “finally (meet) with the state’s technical staff to discuss the substance of the alternatives and supporting science, or lack thereof,” according to the lawsuit.

Montana officials said that they were only given 11 days to review a draft of the environmental impact statement and provide comment, evidence the state claims of the park trying to rush the process. Montana officials said when the final environmental impact statement was prepared, it was only given 24 days to review it and meet with officials, an impossible timeline for the state, according to the lawsuit.

Officials with Yellowstone National Park last week told the Daily Montanan that they had just become aware of the lawsuit and were still reviewing it.

“The National Park Service has repeatedly and consistently failed to engage with the state in a meaningful and transparent manner as required by law throughout the planning process,” said Gov. Greg Gianforte. “The National Park Service has not given us a fair shake and has ignored concerns raised by the state. We will always defend our state from federal overreach.”