I’ve been here awhile but am not from here. I’m from Virginia. People there (generally speaking) don’t think much about state identity or the environment in which they live. They just live. It’s fine. Too each his own. 1/5

The avg easterner doesn’t get the value we (MT) place on public lands, stream access, clean water & air. I was radicalized b/c, by eastern standards, VA & NC have a lot of USFS land. I got a taste & wanted more. 2/5

Growing up, I watched a court battle in the 1990s between stream access advocates and private landowners in western VA. Using taxpayer dollars and sportsman fees, VA reconfigured the outlet on Lake Moomaw to enhance the trout fishery on the Jackson River. 3/5

After the project was done, riparian landowners sued to exclude the public. They won. These are King’s Grant lands where landowners own the streambeds & the water. On more than one occasion before and after the court ruling... 4/5

boaters were forced at gunpoint to drag their boats back upstream after attempting to float these waters. Does this remind you of anyone? Maybe on the East Gallatin River? 5/5

i f'd up the tweet numbering but will endeavor to persevere

Maryland and New Jersey are two of only 10 states that have no national forest. MD and NJ public access laws pertain only to water to water under tidal influence.

Do not expect Maryland Matt or New Jersey Greg to appreciate MT’s public lands access or stream access laws like Montanans do. #mtpol #mtal #mtsen 8/end