Montana’s $8 Billion Gamble

The financial implications of transferring federal public lands to state control are staggering and disproportionately impactful for a rural state with large swaths of national public lands. Montana taxpayers could face a conservatively estimated $7.9 billion hit over the next 20 years. This massive new state tax burden would be primarily driven by the stateʼs need to take on wildfire management, the deferred maintenance backlog, and abandoned mine reclamation on public lands.

This report by John Tubbs in conjunction with Montana Wildlife Federation, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Mamás de montaña, y Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund explores these financial implications and what they mean for states, taxpayers, tourism, and more.