Category Archives: Environmental Issues

Tester says North Fork Watershed Protection Act being held up in Senate

Environmental Issues, News,

It seems three U.S. Senators are trying to use the North Fork Watershed Protection Act as a bargaining chip .  . .

Sen. Jon Tester claimed last week that the North Fork Watershed Protection Act was being held up by three Republican senators — Tom Cruz, of Texas, Tom Coburn, of Oklahoma, and Pat Toomey, of Pennsylvania.

The Act, which would ban all future oil, mineral and gas leases on federal lands in the North Fork and Middle Fork of the Flathead River, sailed through the Republican-controlled House last month on a voice vote. Republican Rep. Steve Daines sponsored the bill.

Tester claimed the three Senate Republicans holding up the bill want other federal lands opened for exploration if lands here are withdrawn. Tester noted that the Senate has different rules than the House, and it’s much easier for a few Senators to hold up legislation.

Read more . . .

Effects of climate change on Crown of the Continent uncertain

Environmental Issues, News,

A recent meeting of land managers along the Crown of the Continent discussed the uncertainties of dealing with the effects of climate change . . .

Glacier National Park’s superintendent once lost a glacier at another park he supervised, and he advises fellow land managers to get used to the feeling.

“You’d better develop your zest for ambiguity,” Jeff Mow told the 2014 Crown Managers Partnership Forum on Tuesday. “The problem with taking risks in the public sector is people just don’t know where they’re going.”

Read more . . .

Wolf season ends with 230 wolves taken

Environmental Issues, News,

The harvest was 230 wolves for this year’s wolf hunt, only five more than last year when the rules were more restrictive . . .

Hunters and trappers in Montana killed 230 wolves during the recently concluded wolf season.

That’s only five more wolves than the prior year’s wolf harvest despite the lifting of quotas on the animals across most of the state and a higher bag limit for individual hunters.

Hunters took 144 wolves during a season that started in September and ended Saturday. Trappers took 86 wolves.

Read more . . .

Interior Secretary discusses North Fork legislation at local meeting

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, along with Senators Jon Tester and John Walsh, were in town Saturday at the Hungry Horse Ranger Station to talk about the North Fork Watershed Protection Act and allied subjects.

(That doggone Frank Vitale sure gets around.  Watch the associated video. You’ll see Frank, as well as some other familiar faces.) . . .

Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell made a trip to Hungry Horse Saturday with Senators Jon Tester and John Walsh to discuss recent North Fork legislation.

Secretary Jewell greeted those in attendance at the Hungry Horse Ranger station, and then talked about the recent North Fork Legislation.

The North Fork Watershed Protection Act would protect over 430,000 acres of land along the north and middle forks of the Flathead River from energy development.

Secretary Jewell stressed the importance of protecting Montana’s natural resources, and also spoke about the economic benefits of outdoor recreation.

Read more . . .

Further reading: The Flathead Beacon has a more detailed write-up.

Ethyl the grizzly taking the tour

Environmental Issues, News, ,

Researchers are having a good time tracking the extensive wanderings of Ethyl, a 20-year-old female grizzly . . .

The 20-year-old female grizzly Ethyl has become a seeker, a wanderer.

The Montana bear hasn’t been acting her age, and fortunately researchers – with a tracking collar – have been able to document her impressive journey from her home state to North Idaho. They lost track of her exact location in late December, but starting next month they expect to pick up her signal again.

They’re anxious to know where she ended up for hibernation, and where she’ll venture next.

Read more . . .

Frank Vitale’s “Leaving a Legacy” presentation

Commentary, Environmental Issues, , ,

Frank Vitale was one of the panelists at last Thursday’s MWA “Wilderness Speaker Series” presentation. Here’s a transcript of his remarks.

Nicely done; recommended reading . . .

OPENING STATEMENTS (INTRODUCTION)

It was probably 20 years ago I planned a pack trip out of Cave Mountain up in the Teton drainage. Our destination was “as far as we could go in about 8-10 days.” We had to travel over Route Creek Pass and I had never been on that trail before. So I decided to give Roland Cheek a call. He told me to “Come on over and bring your map. It just so happens Route Creek Pass is one of my favorite trips in that part of the Wilderness.” So after a great visit and a drink or two, Roland marked on my map the best places to camp with good water and good grass. He didn’t steer us wrong.

I don’t think I ever told you how much I enjoyed reading your newspaper column, “Wild Trails & Tall Tales,” from back in the early 80s, so while I’m thinking of it now I just want to say  it’s an honor to sit on the same side of the table with you.

WILDERNESS & POLITICS (MESSAGE TO THE YOUTH)

In our discussion about wilderness, politics always seems to come up. It’s sad, but true, but anything in life that’s worthwhile never comes easy. This is also true for wilderness.

The wild country we have today is by no accident. It had to be fought for. At time things got ugly. Wilderness and politics are wrapped together and I suppose it will always be that way.

But spending nearly my whole life in wild country I guess I’ve learned to let the heart speak first. It was not always like that, and when I was younger it was easy to get mad as hell and frustrated.

But youth being no easy keeper, the words for wilderness come a whole lot easier. I would tell the young folks that everybody needs a hero, a mentor; someone to look up to. My advice for you young folks is to find your heroes and learn their stories.

From early on I had many heroes. Way too many to even have time to mention. Some of my heroes are even probably sitting in this room tonight.

So I will tell you just a few of mine and briefly tell their stories…

Continue reading Frank Vitale’s “Leaving a Legacy” presentation →

North Fork – one more step forward

Environmental Issues, News, , , ,

The Missoula Independent gave the North Fork Watershed Protection Act some attention this week . . .

Earlier this month, the U.S. House passed the North Fork Watershed Protection Act in what conservationists hailed as a critical step for wildlife and clean water in northwest Montana. That approval, secured by Rep. Steve Daines, marks the most significant advancement yet in a fight former Sen. Max Baucus waged over four decades in Congress.

The moment itself passed quickly, in a manner typically used to approve small, non-controversial bills. The measure’s speedy passage on the House floor was attributed to the widespread bipartisan support it has gained over time. Proponents now include county commissions, city officials, chambers of commerce, sporting groups and business leaders across western Montana. Chevron, ConocoPhillips, BP America and ExxonMobil subsidiary XTO Energy have backed the bill as well.

Read more . . .

Cabinet Mountains moose population study continues

Environmental Issues, News,

The decline in the Moose population is causing concern and triggering a series of studies in manyparts of the country, including an ongoing effort in the Cabinets . . .

State wildlife researchers darted and captured seven cow moose in the eastern stretch of the Cabinet Mountains south of Libby this week and fitted them with radio collars as part of an ongoing research project.

According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Research Technician Jesse Newby, biologists are looking at disease load and other measures of the animals’ health, reproductive rates, and calf survival for the collared moose. This brings the total to 16 moose that are radio-collared in the East Cabinets area.

Hunters in the East Cabinets consistently harvest 15-25 moose annually, and concerns about shrinking moose populations have led to a study on disease, parasites, predation, lack of logging, and poor habitat.

Read more . . .

New FWP rules allow landowners to kill wolves

Environmental Issues, News, ,

Landowners can now kill wolves without a license under certain circumstances . . .

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted new administrative rules for killing wolves that pose a threat to landowners’ safety on Thursday.

The rule change stemmed from a bill the Legislature passed in the 2013 session allowing landowners to kill wolves without first getting a license if they threaten human safety, livestock or dogs. But it also gave the agency a chance to clear up some confusing parts of the state administrative law book, according to FWP wildlife management section chief Quentin Kujala.

“It’s not the easiest thing to read,” Kujala said. “We took more than 1,300 public comments on this.”

The new rules also change the definition of a breeding pair of wolves – a crucial part of the federal oversight of sustainable wolf populations…

Read more . . .

Montana’s hibernating bears soon up and about

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

It’s that time of year again when hungry bears start to emerge from hibernation . . .

Montana’s hibernating black bears and grizzly bears will soon be stirring.

Adult males usually emerge first from winter dens in mid-March. When bears emerge from their dens they are physically depleted and food is a priority.

Bears are often tempted to go where raccoons and domestic dogs are getting into garbage. If these animals are already causing problems near-by, consider it an early warning that food attractants are available and need to be removed.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ bear experts stress that conflict prevention steps can greatly reduce the chances of attracting black bears and grizzly bears.

Read more . . .