Rehberg proposes land swap for Jesus statue

HELENA — U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg is proposing a land swap to save a Jesus statue that is facing eviction from U.S. Forest Service land.

In this Feb. 20, 2011 file photo, Freshmen at the University of Montana, Jake Coburn, Stephanie Ralls and Claire Dal Nogare, from left, visit a statue of Jesus Christ at Whitefish Mountain Resort Whitefish on Feb. 20. The statue of Jesus on U.S. Forest Service land is about to be evicted amid an argument over the separation of church and state.

The Forest Service rescinded its initial decision to remove the five-decade-old statue from a Whitefish ski hill amid uproar over the decision. But on Monday, the agency announced that it will open a new public comment period and analyze the matter again.

Rehberg is proposing legislation that would hand over the 25-by-25 foot patch of land to the ski resort. The resort, in turn, would swap the same amount of land elsewhere to the Forest Service.

The resort, where the statue has been a curiosity and sight to skiers for years, has said it does not want the statue to be taken down.