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Briefs: Lolo forest planning; COVID fraud plea

A wooden Forest service sign for the Clearwater Canoe Trail on the Lolo National Forest.
Josh Burnham
A wooden Forest service sign for the Clearwater Canoe Trail on the Lolo National Forest.

Public comment opens for Lolo National Forest plan environmental review
Austin Amestoy | Montana Public Radio

Lolo National Forest officials are starting an environmental review for a proposed plan to manage the forest. Officials Wednesday published a draft Land Management Plan that will guide their decision making on all things from recreation and ecology to cultural heritage for the next decade or more. The current plan hasn’t been revised since 1986.

In a letter announcing the draft, forest supervisor Carolyn Upton identified some issues already raised by the public. Those include how the plan might impact ecosystem connectivity and the economies of communities near the forest.

The announcement opens a 60-day period to submit comments on the proposal. Officials expect a draft Environmental Impact Statement taking those comments into account will be ready late this year.

Click here for more information on the Lolo National Forest Land Management Plan revision process.

A former employee of the Blackfeet Nation pleads guilty to stealing nearly $80,000 from the tribe
Aaron Bolton | Montana Public Radio

Federal prosecutors say that former Blackfeet Operations Manager James McNeely admitted to stealing COVID relief funding

Prosecutors say McNeely submitted fraudulent reimbursement requests to tribal officials for COVID-19 supplies on Amazon, but never actually purchased anything.

McNeely faces up to 10 years in prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 6.

Austin graduated from the University of Montana’s journalism program in May 2022. He came to MTPR as an evening newscast intern that summer, and jumped at the chance to join full-time as the station’s morning voice in Fall 2022.

He is best reached by emailing austin.amestoy@umt.edu.
Aaron graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Journalism in 2015 after interning at Minnesota Public Radio. He landed his first reporting gig in Wrangell, Alaska where he enjoyed the remote Alaskan lifestyle and eventually moved back to the road system as the KBBI News Director in Homer, Alaska. He joined the MTPR team in 2019. Aaron now reports on all things in northwest Montana and statewide health care.
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