In a rare exhibition of actual investigative journalism, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle unleashed a talented staff writer (Laura Lindquist) to pen an article an ongoing access dispute in Big Sky – read the full Landowner Uses Congressional Ties to Sway Forest Service here.
The story began back in 2000 when wealthy Texan politco Stan Schlueter purchased a block of land in Big Sky that included in part an easement for Road 166B, an access road to Forest Service lands and the Spanish Peaks Wilderness in the area.
To make a long story short, Mr. S., acting in the true spirit of what some Montanans might call the carpet-bagging robber barons of old, built his house and garage either on the road itself or so close as to compromise the easement.
Over the ensuing 13 years, as detailed in Lindquist’s article, Mr. S. has gone to the very halls of Congress to attempt to end run the issue. From the article –
Forest Service documents indicate that in September 2009, Kuehl (Schlueter spokesman) wrote a draft amendment that would have required the Secretary of Agriculture to override public process and eliminate the road easement on Schlueter’s property or convert it to administrative use only. The amendment was intended to be part of the 2009 Interior appropriations bill.
Forest Service documents show that U.S. Department of Agriculture attorney James B. Snow wrote the Energy Committee legal counsel a terse letter criticizing the amendment and proposing different language if the amendment was introduced.
“Frankly, we’re appalled by the proposed appropriations end-run by Brian Kuehl of The Clark Group… The language Mr. Kuehl is advancing would eviscerate public access rights as well as our rights to defend them,” Snow wrote.
An email from Snow mentions that at the same time, Schlueter asked Sen. Hutchison, then U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, and U.S. Rep. John Culberson. R-Texas, to go with him to meet with the USDA Deputy Undersecretary for Natural Resources and the Environment to apply additional pressure on Erickson.
“Brian (Kuehl) made a point to emphasize that Stan has political ties, knows George W. Bush, and that Stan could have ‘fixed this’ long ago,” Snow wrote. “Brian said Stan could have obtained a congressional solution, Stan has not done so to date, but now Stan wants to push that.”
We say damn their (Schlueter and his posse) hides and a pox on their kingdoms.
Yet another reason to support groups like the PLWA.
