For those of you who can’t wait on the mail, the North Fork Preservation Association Summer 2010 Newsletter is now available online in the Newsletters section of the website. Enjoy!
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B.C. Premier expects to know mining costs soon on North Fork deal
From today’s Flathead Beacon . . .
Accepting the Flathead Lakers’ 2010 Stewardship Award for signing an agreement with British Columbia protecting the North Fork from mining and drilling, Gov. Brian Schweitzer gave much of the credit to his counterpart in the negotiations: Premier Gordon Campbell.
Describing the fragile talks, held secretly in Spokane, Schweitzer emphasized that – from mining royalties to political capital – it was Campbell who had the most at stake.
Protecting the North Fork must be a team effort
Dave Hadden, Executive Director of Headwaters Montana, had a letter to the editor published in today’s Flathead Beacon . . .
The North Fork of the Flathead River (a.k.a. the Transboundary Flathead) continues to play in the news of late. The news media report that Gov. Brian Schweitzer and Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester are at odds over how to best protect our river, Glacier Park and Flathead Lake from upstream industrial activity. While a bit confusing to the reader, we think it’s important to keep the North Fork in the news for one simple reason: Our fabulous North Fork ain’t protected yet.
Flathead Lakers recognize Gov. Schweitzer for North Fork agreement with Canada
Posted yesterday to the KECI-TV website . . .
The Flathead Lakers recognized Governor Brian Schweitzer for his efforts to protect the Flathead. They gave Schweitzer an award for his agreement with British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell.
The agreement between Montana and British Columbia halts mining in the Canadian portion of the North Fork drainage. Schweitzer praised the Premier saying Canada gave up more than seven billion dollars in possible royalties. On Thursday night, the Flathead Lakers gave both the Premier and the Govenor the Stewardship Award. (The Premier was unable to attend.)
See also the Flathead Lakers website . . .
Two more energy companies agree to retire North Fork leases
From an Associated Press article posted this afternoon . . .
Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester say two more energy companies have agreed to retire their leases in the North Fork watershed of Montana’s Flathead River.
Louisiana-based Allen and Kirmse, Ltd. will relinquish its interest in 50,889 acres of land in the region, which borders Glacier National Park and extends into British Columbia. Texas-based Anadarko will relinquish its interest in 24,111 acres.
Wolf hunt quota set at 186
As expected, Montana FWP set this year’s wolf hunt quota at 186. The Associated Press has a write-up . . .
Montana wildlife regulators on Thursday set this year’s wolf-hunt quota at 186, more than doubling 2009’s quota, with the aim of reducing the state’s wolf population for the first time since they were reintroduced to the Northern Rockies in 1995.
Advocates for the wolf hunt hailed the decision, although some said they would still like to see a bigger number.
But whether a hunting season actually happens may be in the hands of a federal judge…
Flathead Lakers to present Stewardship Award to Gov. Schweitzer and BC Premier Campbell
From today’s Daily Inter Lake . . .
The Flathead Lakers will present their annual Stewardship Award to Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell at their annual meeting on July 15.
The award will recognize the landmark agreement the two leaders signed in February banning mining and oil-and-gas development in the North Fork Flathead watershed, headwaters to Flathead Lake.
Montana FWP will recommend wolf hunt quota of 186, up from 75 last year
The Montana FWP commission will likely set this year’s wolf hunt quota at 186 this Thursday, up from last year’s 75. No word on quotas for the North Fork or other specific management areas yet.
State wildlife officials will recommend increasing the quota of wolves allowed to be killed by hunters this year to 186, compared to 75 in last year’s inaugural hunt.
The increased hunting quota could decrease the state’s wolf population for the first time since the gray wolf was reintroduced to the Northern Rockies in 1995.
Read the full article for details . . .
Head-butting over differences on North Fork protection
Wow! This is getting interesting, if not downright entertaining. Gov. Schweitzer and Sens. Baucus and Tester are really starting to butt heads over implementation of the memorandum of understanding Schweitzer negotiated with British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell regarding protection of the trans-boundary Flathead. Today’s Flathead Beacon has a good write-up on the issue . . .
Despite a common goal of securing permanent environmental protection for the North Fork of the Flathead River, Montana’s governor and senators don’t appear to be on the same page. The differences between the positions of Gov. Brian Schweitzer and Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester extend from the binding strength of the memorandum of understanding between Montana and British Columbia to the necessity of an international treaty to protect the transboundary Flathead region. And these policy differences are becoming increasingly glaring.
More facilities open back up on Glacier Park’s west side
For those of you keeping an eye on the North Fork side of Glacier Park, this item from one of today’s press releases:
The Inside North Fork Road has re-opened after minor road repairs due to recent flooding. Logging Creek and Quartz Creek campgrounds open Thursday, July 1. Only three of the seven camping sites at Logging Creek are currently open due to flooding.
The press release, which talks mostly about the Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle service, also mentions that Granite Park Chalet is open, Sperry Chalet will open on July 7 and the Highline Trail should open up on July 10.