Government Shutdown Cancels Missoula Resource Management Meeting
The federal government shutdown has delayed a meeting in Missoula by the Bureau of Land Management to discuss changes to the Resource Management Plan. The meeting was originally scheduled for this Wednesday, January 24.
Calls placed to BLM Western Montana District Public Affairs Specialist David Abrams were greeted with an answering machine that says he is "out of the office for the duration of the government shutdown. I will not check messages, but will return your call upon my return to the office." The machine then goes on to instruct reporters to call an office D.C.
The Resource Management Plan is a big project, which will impact 162,000 acres of land spanning nine Montana counties, including Mineral, Ravalli, Lake and Missoula counties. The BLM is asking the public to review changes to the plan on their website in expectation of a future meeting.