All posts by nfpa

Amy Secrest: On the North Fork, it’s a dog’s life

Commentary, , , ,

Amy Secrest is standing in for Larry Wilson in this week’s Hungry Horse News column. She does a very nice job of it, too.

Here’s the lead-in. Read the rest at the HHN . . .

At the New Year’s Eve party at Sondreson Hall, Larry Wilson asked me to write this week’s column.

The next day, after a night of dancing and celebration and an epic holiday season filled with family and friends and more blessings than I can count, I was skiing the riverbank with our dog Rio, an 80-pound yellow lab mix. I reflected on the year before and wondered on the year ahead while Rio, ever eager to go where I go, post-holed through chest-deep snow behind me. When I’d stop to marvel at the sunlit winterscape and ponder on whether new snow would make for an interesting newspaper column, Rio would interrupt my musings and insist on snowballs. It’s his favorite winter game. . .

Continue reading . . .

Wacky wildlife bills progress through Montana legislature

Environmental Issues, News,

From this week’s Hungry Horse News . . .

Hunters just might be able to use a spear next season if a law that makes them legal holds up. The Senate passed a bill by a 27-21 vote in January that would make a spear a legal weapon.

Senate Bill 112, sponsored by Sanders County Republican Greg Hinkle, is now being considered by the House. It’s just one of the many fish and game laws that are under consideration by the Legislature this year.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer has openly made fun of the bill and has promised he’ll veto it.

But spear chucking isn’t the only thing in lawmakers sights. They’d also like to nullify the Endangered Species Act. . .

Continue reading . . .

Tester amends federal budget bill to declare wolves recovered in Montana and Idaho

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

From today’s Missoulian . . .

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., has inserted language into the Senate’s Continuing Resolution – the bill that funds the entire national budget – declaring the gray wolf a recovered species in Montana and Idaho.

The $1.077 trillion, seven-month spending bill is expected to reach a full Senate vote on Tuesday, and then return to the House of Representatives.

Continue reading . . .

“Wild Places” needs cookies

News,

According to a note from Dave Hadden of Headwaters Montana, the Third Annual Wild Places Photo Exhibition needs cookies . . .

We need cookies and other treats to sell at the “Wild Places” photo exhibition on March 11 in Whitefish as part of our fundraising effort to continue the Work! Please call Meg Wolfe if you can bake a plate of cookies or other treats.

Meg’s contact: lullwolfe@msn.com or 863-9501.

Thanks for your help in making Wild Places a success.  See you there!

Legislation, more agreements still needed to ensure protection of Flathead region

Environmental Issues, News, , , , , , ,

This well-written, well-researched article by Rob Chaney of the Missoulian is recommended reading for anyone interested in the challenges still to come in protecting the Trans-boundary Flathead . . .

Now that the trans-boundary conference calls and Washington, D.C., hand-shaking sessions are over, a lot remains to finish in protecting the Flathead River between British Columbia and Montana.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s Valentine’s Day announcement that two conservation groups were providing $9.4 million to buy out mining claims on the Canadian side of the Flathead didn’t include all the details of the deal. One significant omission was that while the U.S.-based Nature Conservancy is raising its half of the money through private donations, the Nature Conservancy of Canada is dipping into a $225 million Canadian government fund for its contribution.

Continue reading . . .

Devon Energy still owns 74 leases in the Flathead; retirement likely

Environmental Issues, News, ,

A very informative article posted late last night to the Missoulian’s web site . . .

While about 80 percent of existing energy exploration leases in the North Fork Flathead have been retired by the world’s leading oil, gas and mining companies, a handful of parcels remain in contention by smaller firms.

Those holdings include nearly 138,000 acres in Flathead County that extend into the Haskill Basin drainage, the primary source of Whitefish’s drinking water supply, as well as along the western edge of Glacier National Park in the Flathead National Forest and underneath Big Mountain.

Continue reading . . .

Wilson discusses North Fork watershed resolution and aftermath

Commentary, Environmental Issues, , , , ,

This week’s Hungry Horse News column by Larry Wilson discusses the recent actions on both sides of the border to protect the North Fork watershed and takes a look at what might be coming next. His column is, as usual, recommended reading . . .

Since Gov. Brian Schweitzer signed a memorandum of understanding with British Columbia, which promised up to 17 million dollars to Canadian companies for reimbursement for cash already spent, we have all wondered where he would find the money. Montana could not pay and for months efforts were made, without success, to get Uncle Sam to foot the bill.

Now it seems that an answer has been found! The Nature Conservancy of Canada and the U.S. Nature Conservancy have committed $9.4 million to the government of British Columbia to conclude the British Columbia-Montana memo of understanding signed a year ago. As part of the deal, the province of British Columbia will enact legislation banning the extraction of minerals, oil, gas, and coal within the watershed. With the two nature conservancy groups coming up with this money, protection of the upper North Fork is an important step towards completion.

Continue reading . . .

B.C. legislation for Flathead only first step towards long-term protection

Commentary, Environmental Issues, , ,

This article on the Sierra Club BC’s web site does a good job of putting the current actions by the B.C. government to protect the Canadian part of the Flathead valley in context.

Here’s the lead-in . . .

Legislation to prohibit mining and energy development in the Flathead River Valley is only the first of three steps the B.C. government must take to protect the Flathead permanently, said Sierra Club BC in a recent press release.

On February 15, 2011, the B.C. premier’s office issued a statement that “the Province has signed an agreement to sustain environmental values in the Flathead Valley, and will introduce legislation to support the 2010 MOU on Environmental Protection, Climate Action and Energy with the State of Montana.”

“While the legislation is an important step, it does not equate to long-term conservation for the Flathead River Valley,” said Sierra Club BC spokesperson Sarah Cox. “It’s a complete stretch to say that the Flathead is forever protected.”

Continue reading . . .

Announcing the 3rd Annual Wild Places Photo Exhibition

News, , ,

As we mentioned earlier, a group of Montana photographers is getting together to benefit Headwaters Montana, a non-profit organization working to protect the Flathead and Elk Valley watersheds, the Glacier and Waterton Parks and the Crown of the Continent ecosystem.

According to Dave Hadden of Headwaters Montana,

Thirteen of the region’s top photographers will display amazing wildlife, mountain scenery, and people in Nature. The artists’ work will be projected on the Big Screen, and 13 of their photos will be raffled off during the evening with great chances to win the photo of your choice. Reception with appetizers and beer and wine for sale. This event supports Headwaters Montana’s work to protect the water, wildlife and outdoor heritage in the Crown of the Continent.