Montana Land Board approves several lease renewals, awards Madison River tract to high bidder after split vote

The Montana Land Board on May [date] approved a slate of Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) recommendations to renew several agriculture and grazing leases and accepted an easement package, and after a contentious exchange awarded a Madison County trust lease to bidder Andrea Hastings.

DNRC Director Castor presented multiple competitive-bid hearings and recommended renewing leases 10791 (Fallon County), 10590 (Powder County, transcript: “Pottery County”), and 5183 (Tooele County) to the existing lessees at rates the department said balanced market value and stewardship requirements. The board approved those renewals by voice vote.

The board also approved an easement package covering private access roads and power lines in six counties with a total package value DNRC listed as $10,183, to benefit the Common Schools Trust.

The most contested item was lease 1092 in Madison County, which DNRC recommended be renewed to the incumbent at $35 per acre with lease stipulations, including a five-year term and a county weed-management plan. During public comment, bidder Andrea Hastings, who said she would graze horses and submitted a detailed weed-management and grazing plan, urged the board to accept her high bid of $500 per AUM and cited higher revenue to the school trust and land-stewardship benefits. "My proposal generates the most revenue from Montana schools, improves land management, reduces wildfire danger, and honors the purpose of these trust lands," Hastings said.

Auditor Brown told the board he would reject DNRC's recommendation and support awarding the lease to Hastings, noting the department's own field evaluation had documented weed encroachment and reduced carrying capacity. DNRC land supervisor Parker Osterloh provided parcel details, saying the tract has 486 agricultural acres, 153 grazing acres and a carrying capacity of 67 AUMs for the new term, and explained DNRC's recommended rate choices in light of regional bid averages.

After initial procedural votes and a roll call to clarify a failed motion, the board reversed course: the Auditor moved to award the lease to high bidder Andrea Hastings at $500 per AUM for a five-year term, the board added an amendment requiring a sage-grouse management plan, and the motion carried (final action reported as adopted with one member dissenting during the earlier vote and the board later adopting the high-bid award). DNRC staff said they would reflect the amended terms in the lease document.

What happens next: DNRC will finalize lease paperwork with the stipulated weed- and sage-grouse-management provisions and the agreed lease term. The easement and other lease renewals proceed as approved. The board also asked DNRC to provide updates as they implement stipulations.

Quotes and attributions in this article come from the Land Board transcript and public comment: Director Castor (DNRC), Parker Osterloh (DNRC land section supervisor), Andrea Hastings (bidder), Auditor Brown, and other board members.

The board adjourned after adding a separate agenda item for a proposed Lincoln-area shooting range to the June meeting.