PUBLIC LANDS -- While some groups are pleased with compromises that have prompted Congress to finally take some action on wilderness bills and other public lands initiatives, some groups say the deals went too far.

Groups ask senators to pull public lands package from defense bill
On Monday, 47 environmental groups asked U.S. senators to pull the package of public lands bills attached to the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act. They charged that the positive aspects of protecting areas as wilderness were heavily outweighed by others that changed grazing policies, moved massive mining projects forward and removed protections for other areas.
--Great Falls Tribune