Monthly Archives: July 2008

Don’t test the dust deputy

July 26, 2008Newsnfpa

From the Saturday, July 26, 2008 online edition of the Daily Inter Lake . . .

Sheriff’s Deputy Stewart Smith is constantly wiping a film of dust from the electronic equipment in his patrol vehicle. He keeps the windows rolled up, but fine particles of dirt and grit simply refuse to stay outside.

Tasked with enforcing speed limits on Flathead County’s gravel thoroughfares, Smith spends all day on the roads with the worst dust problems.

His presence appears to be working.

Read the entire article . . .

NFPA Annual Meeting to Be Held on Saturday, July 26

July 23, 2008Newsnfpa

From an NFPA press release published on July 21 . . .

On Saturday, July 26, the annual meeting of the North Fork Preservation Association will be held at the Sondreson Community Hall at Whale Creek. At 7:30 pm Dr. Brian Reeves of the University of Calgary will give a PowerPoint presentation entitled “Glacier Park and the North Fork before the coming of the White Man.”

Dr. Reeves is a dynamic speaker who has written a number of publications including “Our Mountains Are Our Pillows: An Ethnographic Overview of Glacier National Park.”

The 7:30 pm program is preceded by a potluck at 5:00 pm and election of officers at 7:00 pm. Everyone is invited.

For more information phone (406) 888-5084.

Discussion, not division, becoming the norm

July 22, 2008Environmental Issues, Newsnfpa

From the Monday, July 21, 2008 online edition of the Missoulian . . .

Polite diplomacy appears to be trumping the historic conversation of conflict between Canadian officials intent on mining energy resources and downstream residents worried the development could taint Montana waterways.

“The nature and the tenor of the discussion are absolutely changing,” said Louisa Willcox, senior wildlife specialist at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “I think it’s become far more civil, courteous and honest – and hopefully more productive.”

Read the entire article . . .

Red Meadow Fire Contained Over Weekend

July 21, 2008Fire Information and Status, Newsnfpa

From the Monday, July 21, 2008 online edition of the Flathead Beacon . . .

Despite a wet, prolonged spring, fire season has snuck in the back door. Over the weekend, crews from Flathead National Forest contained a wildland fire in the Whitefish Range.

Approximately 20 fire personnel constructed a fire line and laid water hose on the Red Meadow 1 Wildland Fire

No wolf hunt this year

July 19, 2008Environmental Issues, Newsnfpa

From the Saturday, July 19, 2008 online edition of the Missoulian . . .

A federal judge in Missoula has restored endangered species protections for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies, derailing plans by three states to hold public wolf hunts in the fall.

U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy granted a preliminary injunction late Friday restoring protections for wolves in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. Molloy will eventually decide whether the injunction should be permanent.

Read the entire article . . .

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act turns 40

July 17, 2008Environmental Issues, Newsnfpa

From the Thursday, July 17, 2008 online edition of the Hungry Horse News . . .

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, legislation that protects some 219 miles of waterway on the Flathead National Forest.

While the Act was passed in 1968, local rivers protected under the Act — the North Fork of the Flathead, the Middle Fork of the Flathead and the South Fork of the Flathead — were not included until 1976.

In that year, oil and gas exploration as well as Canadian coal mines were all threatening the North Fork — a situation that isn’t far removed today.

Read the entire article . . .

Mine opponents, Canadian ambassador meet

July 16, 2008Environmental Issues, Newsnfpa

From the Wednesday, July 16, 2008 online edition of the Missoulian . . .

Environmental groups concerned that Montana water may be threatened by potential coal-bed methane extraction and expanded coal mining in southeastern British Columbia took their concerns to Canada’s ambassador to the United States.

Read the entire article . . .

Summer 2008 newsletter available online

July 6, 2008Site Updatesnfpa

The Summer 2008 NFPA Newsletter is available online. It is in PDF format, which requires Adobe Reader for viewing. Most folks already have Adobe Reader installed on their computers. If you don’t have it, you can get it here. (If you do need to grab Adobe Reader, make sure you clear the little checkbox where they offer to include additional software with your download. Right now, they are pushing something called the “eBay Desktop.” Go figure.)

Concerns grow over Plum Creek’s shift towards real estate development

July 6, 2008Environmental Issues, Newsnfpa

There has been a lot concern over Plum Creek’s gradual shift from timber production to real estate development, particularly their recent closed-door negotiations with the Forest Service to expand permitted road easement use.

“Tester wants Plum Creek investigation,” an article in the June 25, 2008, issue of the Missoulian, provides a good overview of the situation.

A piece in the July 5, 2008, Washington Post titled “Closed-Door Deal Could Open Land In Montana” offers more information, although it is a little heavy on editorial content.

On a positive note, an article in this week’s Hungry Horse News, “Plum Creek inks massive land deal,” covers the announcement of “the largest land conservation purchase in the United States history” — the negotiated sale of about 30% of Plum Creek’s holdings in Montana to a pair of conservation groups.