Clarification from Save Holland Lake

Thank you for the article on the proposed expansion of Holland Lake Lodge and ardent opposition to the proposal to build a giant destination resort on the ecologically sensitive and pristine Holland Lake.

We want to correct one portion of the article that says that members of Save Holland Lake agree that the U.S. Forest Service can keep its “process private.”

Americans, Montanans, Save Holland Lake and others – like the Missoula County Commissioners – have urged the U.S. Forest Service, in order to restore trust in what has been a secretive process, to be more transparent on plans for this public land to the American public, not less transparent.

Nothing precludes the Forest Service from being more transparent in its process when it comes to determining the best public use of our public lands and working in the public interest.

Almost 99% of more than 6,500 public comments on this expansion proposal were opposed to tripling the size of the lodge. From the beginning we’ve urged the Forest Service, whose members work for the American people, to tell us what’s going on with our public land. The process should not be private, should not be kept private, and should be open to the greatest public scrutiny. Because this land is your land.

Thanks for your reporting. We look forward to greater public scrutiny of this process. The public deserves to know what’s going on with their land.