Aaron Flint Had A History Of Supporting The Transfer Of Public Lands From Federal To State Control, Which Could Cost Montana $8 Billion And Bankrupt Several Counties

2013: Flint Said Land Could Be State Lands And Still Be “Public Land” And Asked, “Why Would Anyone Support More Fed[eral] Land In Montana?”

December 2013: Flint Told A Twitter User, “Couldn’t We Have The Land As State Lands And Still Have Your ‘Public Land.’” “@BenLamb1 couldn't we have the land as state lands and still have your ‘public land’ #MTPol #MTLeg.” [Aaron Flint, Twitter, 12/10/13]

Image: see original report, p. 22

[Aaron Flint, Twitter, 12/10/13]

December 2013: Flint Said People “Don’t Want More Fed Land.” “@BenLamb1 ppl don't want more fed land- thats why LWCF zeroed out. Land board can/should fix grazing issues.Worthy discussion #MTPol #MTLeg.” [Aaron Flint, Twitter, 12/10/13]

Image: see original report, p. 22

[Aaron Flint, Twitter, 12/10/13]

October 2013: Flint: “Why Would Anyone Support More Fed Land In Montana?” “State parks open. Fed parks closed. Fed hunting ground closed. Why would anyone support more fed land in Montana? #MTPol #MTNews.” [Aaron Flint, Twitter, 10/10/13]

Image: see original report, p. 23

[Aaron Flint, Twitter, 10/10/13]

2014: Flint Asked, “Why Do We Want The Federal Government To Own The Land?” And Said Transferring Public Lands From Federal To State Control Would Be A “Major Bipartisan Win”

May 2014: Flint Amplified A Headline That Said, “Fed Land Transfer Gaining Ground.” “Stewart Lays Into VA Secretary/ Fox Tries to Track Down Missoula Hairdresser/ Fed Land Transfer Gaining Ground #MTPol http://icont.ac/2nXwY.” [Aaron Flint, Twitter, 5/20/14]

Image: see original report, p. 23

[Aaron Flint, Twitter, 5/20/14]

March 2014: AUDIO: Flint: “If The State Of Montana Is Doing A Better Job Managing Their Land, Then Why Do We Want The Federal Government To Own The Land?” FLINT: “If the state of Montana is doing a better job managing their land, then why do we want the federal government to own the land?” [Voices of Montana via Internet Archive, 28:42, archived 3/25/14] (AUDIO)

March 2014: AUDIO: Flint: “If You Really Were An Environmentalist, You Would Be Supporting Efforts To Get Some Of This Federal Land Back Into State Hands.” FLINT: “If you truly care about the land, if you truly are– I thought it was interesting. You wrote a book, ‘Greener Than Thou: Are You Really an Environmentalist?’ I mean that’s almost the question that needs to be posed out there right now to these environmental groups. Okay, are you really an environmentalist? If you really were an environmentalist, you would be supporting efforts to get some of this federal land back into state hands because the federal government is failing right now. They’re failing our tribal economies. They’re failing our timberlands. They’re failing out forests.” [Voices of Montana via Internet Archive, 28:46, archived 3/25/14] (AUDIO)

March 2014: Flint Said The Federal Government Was “Wanting To Grab Land Like Crimea.” FLINT: “Very interesting stuff. Yeah, our federal government’s bleeding red as you say, and yet they’re grabbing land and wanting to grab land like Crimea even in this day of age.” [Voices of Montana via Internet Archive, 30:37, archived 3/25/14] (AUDIO)

February 2014: Flint Said Putting Federal Lands In State Hands Would Be A “Major Bipartisan Win 4 Montana If We Could Make It Happen.” “@BenLamb1 so whatdya say- put fed lands in state hands? Sounds like major bipartisan win 4 Montana if we could make it happen. #MTPol #MTLeg.” [Aaron Flint, Twitter, 2/13/24]

Image: see original report, p. 24

[Aaron Flint, Twitter, 2/13/14]

• Polls Found Nine In Ten Montanans Opposed The Sale Or Transfer Of Public Lands. “A pair of voter opinion polls released this week show Montanans have strong affection for both public lands and federal workers. But a deeper look indicates that might not matter in the rough-and-tumble world of politics. Both the University of Montana’s Crown of the Continent/Greater Yellowstone Initiative poll and a separate survey sponsored by The Nature Conservancy found nine out of 10 respondents opposed the sale or transfer of public lands, which has become a flashpoint in several recent congressional budget debates. An equal margin of UM poll respondents said those issues were crucial in deciding whether to support an elected official.” [Montana Free Press, 4/4/26]

2014: Flint Twice Proposed Using Land And Water Conservation Funds To Transfer Public Lands From Federal To State Control

May 2014: Flint: “The Entire CoDel Could Join Together & Use LWCF Funds To Transfer Fed Lands To State Hands.” “@BenLamb1 @missoulian the entire CoDel could join together & use LWCF funds to transfer fed lands to state hands. #MTPol #MTLeg.” [Aaron Flint, Twitter, 5/2/14]

Image: see original report, p. 24

[Aaron Flint, Twitter, 5/2/14]

• The Land And Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Protected The National Endowment Of Lands And Waters. “The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was established by Congress in 1964 to fulfill a bipartisan commitment to safeguard natural areas, water resources and cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. The fund helps strengthen communities, preserve history and protect the national endowment of lands and waters.” [U.S. Department of the Interior, Land and Water Conservation Fund, accessed 5/5/26]

February 2014: Flint Said, “LWCF Funds Should Be Used To Transfer More Lands Into State Lands.” “@BenLamb1 DC debt could force buy off? Exactly why LWCF funds should be used to transfer more fed lands into state lands. #MTLeg #MTPol” [Aaron Flint, Twitter, 2/13/14]

Image: see original report, p. 25

[Aaron Flint, Twitter, 2/13/14]

2015: Flint Said Many Montanans Wanted To Transfer Public Lands From The Federal Government To The State

January 2015: Flint Said Many Montanans Wanted To Transfer Public Lands “From The Bankrupting Fed Govt To State Owned Public Land.” “[Jessica Goad:] Montanans want to keep public lands public! http://mtgreatoutdoors.com #mtpol #keepitpublic [Aaron Flint:] @jessica_goad that's exacty [sic] why many Montanans want to transfer it from the bankrupting fed govt to state owned public land...#MTPol.” [Aaron Flint, Twitter, 1/23/15]

Image: see original report, p. 25

[Aaron Flint, Twitter, 1/23/15]

Public Domain Reported Flint Had A History Of Supporting The Transfer Of Public Lands To State Control, Which Could Lead To Privatization

April 2026: Public Domain: “Flint Enters His Race With A History Of Voicing Support For Transferring Federal Lands To State Control.” “But if Flint wins the election, it is unclear whether he will fortify or undermine this so-called ‘Montana firewall’ against federal land divestment. Flint enters his race with a history of voicing support for transferring federal lands to state control — a move that would forever strip them from the broader public’s hands and could ultimately lead to privatization.” [Public Domain, 4/30/26]

• Public Domain Headline: “Montana GOP Candidate Has History Of Calling For Federal Land Transfers.” [Public Domain, 4/30/26]

According To Investigative Reporters At Public Domain, Transferring Federal Lands To State Control Could Ultimately Lead To Privatization. “But if Flint wins the election, it is unclear whether he will fortify or undermine this so-called ‘Montana firewall’ against federal land divestment. Flint enters his race with a history of voicing support for transferring federal lands to state control — a move that would forever strip them from the broader public’s hands and could ultimately lead to privatization.” [Public Domain, 4/30/26]

Transferring Federal Lands To State Control Would Cost Montana $8 Billion, Bankrupt Several Counties, And Potentially Result In Lost Wildlife Habitat

2025: Transferring Montana’s Public Lands To State Control Would Cost Montana $8 Billion For Managing The Land, Including For Wildfire, Deferred Maintenance, And Abandoned Mine Reclamation

2025: Natural Resources Manager John Tubbs Determined That Transferring 30 Million Acres Of Federal Land To The State Of Montana Would Cost The State $8 Billion. “In Montana, where land managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management comprises 30 million acres — roughly a third of the state — the notion of turning swaths of terra firma to state control could be costly, according to a newly published report. The report, written by longtime natural resources manager John Tubbs, calls the financial implications of federal lands transfer ‘staggering and disproportionately impactful for a rural state with large swaths of national public lands.’ ‘The costs associated with maintaining national public lands at the state level — ranging from wildfire operations to the loss of essential federal funding for rural counties — would be far too great for Montana to bear per capita,’ the report states. It amounts to an $8 billion ‘gamble on Montana’s future.’” [Daily Montanan, 4/19/25]

Tubbs’ Projected $8 Billion Increase In Costs Would Come From Managing The Land, Including For Wildfire, Deferred Maintenance, And Abandoned Mine Reclamation. “The estimated roughly $8 billion increase to Montanan’s balance sheet would be primarily driven by the costs of managing the land, according to the report, including for wildfire, deferred maintenance backlogs, and abandoned mine reclamation. Citing reports by the Legislative Fiscal Division, the report states that during the last 20 years, Montana has paid more than $2.3 billion in wildfire mitigation costs on federal land — comprising just 25% of total cost, as the federal government covers 75% of costs.” [Daily Montanan, 4/19/25]

Transferring Federal Land To State Control Would Bankrupt Several Montana Counties Due To The Loss Of Payments In Lieu Of Taxes

Tubbs’ Report Found That Without Federal Land, Several Montana Counties Would Go Bankrupt Due To The Loss Of Payments In Lieu Of Taxes From The Federal Government. “Tubbs also focused on Payment in Lieu of Taxes funds the federal government disseminates. The PILT program channels money to rural counties with swaths of untaxable federal land to support vital services such as public safety, housing, social services and transportation. In fiscal year 2023, Montana counties received more than $40 million in PILT funds — and another $16 million from the similar Secure Rural Schools program — a loss the state likely couldn’t make up. Tubbs said such a loss would result in the largest ‘unfunded mandate’ in state history, and ‘several of Montanaʼs counties would be bankrupt — in particular, the 11 counties in which more than half of the acreage is owned by the federal government.’” [Daily Montanan, 4/19/25]

Montana Wildlife Foundation: Transferring Federal Public Lands To State Control Could Restrict Access And Result In Lost Wildlife Habitat, Undermining The Work Of Hunters, Anglers, And Landowners

Montana Wildlife Foundation: Tubbs’ Report Found Transferring Federal Land To State Control Could Restrict Access And Result In Lost Wildlife Habitat. “According to the report, if Montana were to take over the responsibility of managing federal public lands currently overseen by agencies like the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, it would come with a conservatively estimated $7.9 billion price tag over the next 20 years. […] The report goes beyond dollars and cents. It paints a clear picture of what’s at stake if this movement succeeds: restricted access, lost wildlife habitat, and diminished public oversight of lands that currently belong to every American.” [Montana Wildlife Foundation, 4/15/25]

Montana Wildlife Foundation: Transferring Federal Public Lands “Would Undermine Generations Of Work By Hunters, Anglers, Landowners, And Conservationists.” “If Montana were to absorb the management of federal lands without the accompanying federal support, it would quickly face an impossible choice: raise taxes dramatically, cut vital public services, or sell off public lands. And once they’re gone, we don’t get them back. Transferring ownership or management of federal public lands would undercut the very systems that have made Montana a leader in wildlife management, public access, and land stewardship. It would undermine generations of work by hunters, anglers, landowners, and conservationists who’ve fought to keep these places open, productive, and wild.” [Montana Wildlife Foundation, 4/15/25]