Forest Jobs and Recreation Act: FJRA vs Status Quo

Issue Doing Nothing Passing Forest Jobs and Recreation Act (FJRA)
New Wilderness Areas Protected No new Wilderness protected. For the first time in over 26 years, new wilderness would be designated in Montana. The bill protects 20 new Wilderness areas, bringing the number of Wilderness areas in Montana from 15 to 35.
Expansions to Existing Wilderness Areas No expansions to existing Wilderness areas. FJRA will expand the Mission Mountains, Bob Marshall, Scapegoat, Anaconda-Pintler and Lee Metcalf Wilderness Areas to include vulnerable habitats for grizzly, wolverine, lynx, bighorns, mountain goat, elk and native trout.
Acres of New Wilderness Areas Created 0 acres 670,000 acres
Designation of New Backcountry Protection/ Special Management Areas No new Backcountry Protection/Special Management areas. FJRA will add 6 permanent new Backcountry Protection/Special Management areas to the 2 in Montana today.
Effect on National Wilderness Policy, Law, and Precedents Not applicable because no new Wilderness would be designated. None. Management of wilderness designated by FJRA is based on established wilderness law, The Wilderness Act, and a great many previous area designations. For a detailed explanation click here.
Effect on Roadless Areas not protected as Wilderness or Other Designations Status unchanged. Activities currently permitted under the "Roadless Rule" could occur. Status unchanged. Activities currently permitted under the "Roadless Rule" could occur. According to Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack who oversees the US Forest Service, nothing in the FJRA would overturn or alter the implementation of the Roadless Rule. Further, FJRA does NOT direct or require any activities in roadless areas, and expressly prioritizes heavily-roaded forest areas for stewardship projects.
Funding for restoration activities to benefit fish and wildlife Small amounts of funding from specific appropriations from Congress, limited dollars from small-scale stewardship projects, periodic private sources of funding. Ramps up funding available for beneficial restoration projects by calling for large-scale restoration projects using stewardship contracting, where funds from mechanical treatment can be reinvested on the same landscape for restoration of damaged fish and wildlife habitat -- as opposed to sending the money back to the federal treasury.

It is likely that federal appropriations will continue to be used to supplement some restoration projects, and project receipts from mechanical treatment can leverage new dollars. The bill is consistent with several new sources of federal funding, such as Legacy Roads and Landscape Restoration Act programs.
Declining capacity to conduct badly needed restoration work on public lands, resulting in unmanageable fire risk around communities, and declining fisheries and wildlife habitat Unchanged. The bill can help to maintain the remaining infrastructure of small timber mills in the state, and steers those mills toward active and sustainable restoration work on the roaded landscape for the benefit of fish and wildlife. For more information click here.
Protection of "Metcalf" Wilderness Study Areas

Sapphires WSA (94,000 acres)

West Pioneers WSA (155,000 acres)		 WSA status remains unchanged, which means these lands are protected from logging but not necessarily from motorized recreation, and in the past 30 years off road vehicles have penetrated deep into these areas. In spite of the efforts of MWA and others, motorized users have gained considerable access through both legal and illegal means. Without action, this will continue. Passage of FJRA permanently protects 95% of affected ?Metcalf? wilderness study areas as follows:
  • Sapphires WSA: Wilderness: 53,000 acres (west side of Sapphires WSA which is on Bitterroot NF remains unchanged)
  • Open to snowmobiling (unchanged): 5,000 acres
  • Remains as WSA (unchanged): 37,700 acres
  • West Pioneers Wilderness Areas: 26,000 acres
  • West Pioneers (Backcountry) Recreation Area: 129,000 acres (Recreation Area designation prohibits mining, oil and gas, logging, road construction and new developments, while allowing bicycles and snowmobiles. OHV use may continue on designated routes but may not expand.)
Exemptions from Existing Environmental Laws None. None. FJRA does NOT suspend any laws governing our national forests?FJRA requires all federal laws and rules be followed.
Construction of New Roads Yes. New roads may be constructed to meet project needs if NEPA requirements and environmental standards are met. No permanent new roads may be constructed. FJRA does NOT allow construction of new permanent roads associated with any of the forest stewardship/restoration projects carried out under the legislation.
Effects on Existing Road Densities Road densities may increase or decrease depending on project needs and if NEPA requirements and environmental standards are met. Excessive and destructive roads that pollute streams and diminish trout and wildlife habitat will be rehabilitated through large landscape restoration/stewardship projects under FJRA.
Effects on wildlife and fish standards Elk security standards in the 2009 Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest Plan are inadequate. FJRA requires stewardship projects meet science-based grizzly, elk and native fish standards for restoration of impaired waters and habitats. Elk habitat security must meet FWP guidelines, and minimum standards for stream protection are set.
Effects on Opportunities to Protect Unprotected Roadless Lands as Wilderness in the Future 25 wild Montana areas will remain vulnerable to motorized abuse, oil and gas, mining and developments, which degrade wilderness character and potential. New vehicle and watercraft technologies may have unanticipated effects, reducing quiet, solitude, and backcountry traditions.

Montana may go another generation or longer without protecting our state?s wilderness heritage. 		The FJRA does not foreclose the option to consider deserving, unprotected roadless lands as Wilderness in the future.
Opportunity for People to Influence Forest Stewardship Projects Traditional public processes. Creates Citizen Resource Advisory Committees for each landscape-scale restoration project. These groups will be comprised of representatives from industrial, recreational, conservation, and livestock organizations as well as local collaborative forest management groups. They will advise the FS on the appropriate location for, design of, and implementation of each project. The bill elevates the role of the public as a partner with the FS.