Congressman Denny Rehberg says he’s uncovered a plan by the Obama administration to carve out 13 million acres of western land for federal conservation projects.  Rehberg points to a leaked document identifying possible land acquisitions from New Mexico to Alaska’s North Slope.  The document is seven pages of an internal draft marked "not for release" that was handed over to members of the U.S. House of Representatives' Western Caucus.

Two areas noted are located in eastern Montana, including “small number of large ranch holdings” along the upper Wild and Scenic Missouri River and “unplowed areas of grasslands” near the Montana-Canadian border.  Rehberg says it amounts to millions of acres in Montana.

The congressman  criticized the Obama administration on the U.S. House floor, calling the plan outlined in the draft document “a land grab so brazen it’s difficult to believe."

Rehberg said, "Some of that land belongs to private citizens who have no idea that the federal government is planning to kick them off their ranches.  If the government can do this to them, what can it do to you?”

Rehberg says requests for a copy of the full text of the internal draft have gone unanswered.  The Newschannel made similar requests which have also been unanswered.

Tuesday, Secretary of Interior, Ken Salazar was on capitol hill for a Senate committee hearing When he came face to face with Montana Senator Jon Tester.  The senator Jon Salazar directly about the internal draft and if the Department of Interior had any intent to purchase land in Montana. 

Salazar responded by saying he was “not aware of any plan.”

Rehberg says he's not buying Salazar's answer.  He's introduced legislation that would block the use of the Antiquities Act to take lands in Montana without congressional oversight.  It's a maneuver that's already in effect for the State of Wyoming. 

Following Salazar’s Senate appearance, Rehberg renewed his call for congressional involvement in federal land dealings. “When it comes to executive action,” said Rehberg, “we’ve already seen this administration shoot first and ask questions later, and now that the sights are on millions of acres in Montana, the responsible action is to reassert congressional oversight, just like Wyoming has already done.”

To review the leaked Internal Draft pages for yourself, click here.