“Two national wildlife refuges near Missoula may allow people to hunt more wildlife, including black bear.
While hunting groups back the changes, conservationists said the policy went into effect without adequate environmental review. Like many of the Trump administration changes, federal agency oversight is diminished.
“While the Trump policy retains federal ownership, it basically eviscerates federal management,” Jeff Ruch of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility told the Associated Press in September. “The states end up managing federal land with federal dollars but following state laws. That’s a sea change from federal management for conservation and biodiversity rather than promoting hunting.”
