Burns, Rehberg vow to help Eureka recover

Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., and Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., have pledged to help Eureka recover from the pending closure of the Owens & Hurst mill, the town's largest employer.

Jim Hurst, the mill's manager and co-owner, announced Thursday that the mill will close in May mainly because of unpredictable and scarce timber sales on national forest lands surrounding Eureka.

Burns expressed disappointment with the news and offered to help workers who are facing unemployment.

"Bottom line is, I'm very disappointed to see this turn of events. Jim is a good man, and has run his operation to the best of his ability, and has made a business decision that he feels is the proper one.," Burns said in a press release. "Now, as always, I will do what I can from the federal end to provide whatever assistance is possible for his employees facing layoffs in May."

Burns' staff has been in contact with state and federal agencies today in response to the announcement. Burns said he will continue to monitor the situation and stay in contact with both the agencies and the company as they move forward in applying for retraining and re-employment assistance.

Rehberg said he will do the same.

"It's hard not to be angry at the circumstances that created this," Rehberg said in a press release. "The failed policies of overregulation and environmental extremism lead to the systematic destruction of our environment and our economy in Montana. We have more and more unhealthy forests, and fewer and fewer responsible land managers - like Owens & Hurst - to take care of them. This really points to the continual need to understand the direct relationship between maintaining a healthy forest through active management, and maintaining the economic health of timber-dependent communities."

Rehberg today contacted the Economic Development Agency, officially requesting a $50,000 economic strategic planning grant to help the community adjust to the impact of the closure.

"The closing of a business is always difficult, both for the employees and the community," Rehberg said. "My immediate concern is the well being of each of these families."

Rehberg said he will work to provide assistance and information on federal programs such as the U. S. Department of Labor Job Training Partnership Act and unemployment assistance, in addition to economic adjustment programs.

"Ultimately, it's up to the federal government to end this cycle of lost jobs and crippled economies due to these failed policies that are hurting our communities and killing our forests," Rehberg added.