Monthly Archives: June 2009

Coalition petitioning for Waterton and Glacier Park protections

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

Here’s an excellent article — with video — that appeared in today’s Missoulian . . .

Glacier National Park and its neighbor to the north are endangered by mining proposals, and the international community must intervene to protect the region’s natural and cultural heritage.

That’s the message being delivered this week by tribal leaders, community organizers, business interests and conservationists, whose concerns will be aired at the 33rd annual meeting of the United Nations World Heritage Committee.

“Our petition,” said Will Hammerquist, “asks the World Heritage Committee to hear the concerns of local communities and indigenous peoples by recognizing the threat these projects pose to a globally significant ecosystem.”

Hammerquist works for the National Parks Conservation Association, which joined a dozen other groups in petitioning for the endangered status.

Read the entire article . . .

Short piece on Polebridge in Flathead Beacon

Travel Articles,

The Flathead Beacon posted a short “Places” article on Polebridge today . . .

If you’re looking for a quiet place to enjoy just outside Glacier National Park, head up the road to Polebridge for a truly Montana experience.

Located one mile from the northwestern entrance to the park, the Polebridge Mercantile and Northern Lights Saloon is an oasis for the weary traveler. Besides amenities such as gas and groceries, the “Merc” offers world-class pastries and a custom roasted Polebridge blend of coffee. Check out a rustic cabin within walking distance of the old store.

The saloon is the ideal place to grab a bite of pizza or wild game over a cool frosty beverage, which taste even better after a night or two of backcountry camping or a day hike across the park’s border.

Read the entire article . . .

Missoulian leads with story about new Merc owners

News, ,

Today’s top story in the online edition of the Missoulian is about the new owners of the Polebridge Mercantile. It even includes a short video! Here’s the lede . . .

Dan Kaufman has long lived in the cozy rooms upstairs, where fresh-baked smells have soaked the warm walls. But now, he’s moving out.

The saloonkeeper next door might put him up for the summer, in a hut out back, or a tent, or maybe even a treehouse. He’s in the barn, for now.

Kaufman’s in the barn because he and wife Deb have sold the Polebridge Mercantile – their rooms with the views, their gateway to Glacier – to a starry-eyed young couple from Missoula.

Read the entire article . . .

Mines prompt international call for help from Glacier, Waterton national parks

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

From today’s online edition of the Missoulian . . .

The state of conservation at two Northern Rockies national parks near a place eyed for possible coal mining will be reviewed by a UNESCO committee meeting in Spain this week.

Groups that say Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, consisting of a U.S. park and a Canadian park, is at risk hope the meeting in Seville, Spain, will bring their concern some global attention. They’ve petitioned UNESCO to declare the peace park endangered. But a lawmaker in the Canadian province of Alberta rejects any suggestion that coal mining or other industry threatens environmental quality in a slice of North America known for stunning alpine scenery and extraordinary wildlife habitat.

Read the entire article . . .

Also note that there’s still a chance to have your voice heard. The National Parks Conservation Association has an online form for sending letters to officials in the US and Canada, as well as the UN World Heritage Committee.

Pacific Northwest Trail created

News, Travel Articles, , ,

From yesterday’s online edition of the Flathead Beacon . . .

When the national scenic trails system was created four decades ago, the goal was to build a walking path across the United States.

That goal came closer to reality in March, when President Obama signed a bill creating the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail and two others. They are the first such trails designated in 26 years.

Read the entire article . . .

According to a map posted on the Pacific Northwest Trail Association website, the east end of the trail starts in Glacier Park at Chief Mountain Customs near the south edge of Waterton Lake and passes through Polebridge — and a good part of the North Fork —  on its way to Eureka and, eventually, the Pacific Coast at Cape Alava.

Post office redux?

News, ,

All kinds of good information was presented at last weekend’s North Fork Landowners’ Association meeting. Most of this material will no doubt show up on their web site or in the newsletter, but one item needs broader distribution. Stuart Reiswig and Flannery Coats, the new owners of the Polebridge Mercantile, announced that they hope to reestablish the Polebridge post office. This won’t happen unless the US Postal Service sees a lot of community interest. (I believe the actual phrase was, “a hundred screaming heads.” NFLA meetings do have their moments.) Once we find out how to get comments to the proper people in the USPS labyrinth, we’ll post the information here.

Flathead National Forest to get 13.3 million in stimulus funds

News,

Looks like we are finally getting some hard numbers on stimulus fund spending for the Flathead National Forest — not to mention an actual project list.

From today’s Flathead Beacon . . .

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced Tuesday that more than $228 million in stimulus funds will be used to improve U.S. Forest Service land. Of that, $13.3 million is heading to the Flathead National Forest, according to Forest Supervisor Cathy Barbouletos.

“We are pleased to be able to complete some deferred maintenance and improvements across the forest and facilitate this funding in Flathead County and Northwest Montana,” Barbouletos said in a prepared statement Wednesday.

Read the entire article . . .

New wolf delisting rule brings new lawsuit

Environmental Issues, News, ,

From today’s online edition of the Daily Inter Lake . . .

A coalition of environmental groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging the recent delisting of gray wolves in Montana and Idaho, raising some of the same legal issues that blocked delisting last year.

But there is a new twist in the litigation — the plaintiffs will challenge the federal government decision to exclude Wyoming from its delisting rule because of that state’s inadequate wolf management plan.

Read the entire article . . .

Flathead Coalition review pans BP’s environmental study

Environmental Issues, News, , , , ,

The Flathead Coalition is less than amused at BP-Canada’s approach to environmental science. They don’t think much of British Columbia’s fox-guarding-the-henhouse rules for conducting environmental studies, either.

A press release pubished today by Citizens Concerned About Coalbed Methane summarizes the issue . . .

The Flathead Coalition announced today that its internal evaluation of BP-Canada Energy Company’s environmental science demonstrates bias toward understating the likely environmental impact of its proposed Mist Mountain CBM project.

The Mist Mountain CBM project is being planned by BP-Canada for the Crowsnest Coalfield area that spans the Elk River and Flathead River hydrologic divide. The B.C. government granted tenure last December for the Elk Valley portions of the coalfield. BP says it plans to start exploratory drilling in early 2010, though it may commence sooner.

Read the entire article . . .

Rivers up but flooding unlikely

News,

It looks like the snowpack is melting off in an orderly fashion this year.

From yesterday’s online edition of the Flathead Beacon . . .

Despite slower-than-usual runoff, officials say Flathead Lake is on pace to reach full pool by mid-June. The one thing that can push that back – and did, just last year – is the threat of flooding.

The National Weather Service, however, say flood risks look low this year. Snowpack levels are lower, and the warm-and-cool trends of the past few weeks have delivered a more relaxed release this spring compared to last year’s dramatic runoff.

Read the entire article . . .