Category Archives: Action Alerts

ALERT: Tell Sen. Daines to stand up for our values

Action Alerts, Environmental Issues, , ,
Blue Joint Wilderness Study Area in western Montana - photo by Zack Porter
Blue Joint Wilderness Study Area in western Montana – photo by Zack Porter

Two important bills will receive a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday, February 7.  Senator Steve Daines is a member of this committee.

Please call Senator Daines’ office today at (202) 224-2651.

(1)  Ask Senator Daines to SUPPORT S. 507, the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act.

This bill is the result of an agreement reached by a diversity of citizens—mill owners, snowmobilers, mountain bikers, backcountry horsemen, business owners, and conservationists.  The bill meets the needs of these diverse forest users, while designating 80,000 acres of new wilderness and solving many other business and recreation problems.  Senator Tester proposed this citizen-developed legislation while Senator Daines has refused to endorse it even though 3 out of 4 Montanans support the bill.  Let Senator Daines know that he needs to co-sponsor this made-in-Montana legislation.

(2)  Ask Senator Daines to OPPOSE S. 2206, which will end protection of many of Montana’s Wilderness Study Areas.

This bill, introduced by Senator Daines, represents the biggest rollback of protected public land in Montana’s history.  Not a single public hearing was held before crafting this legislation affecting almost half of million acres of some of most remote and beautiful public lands in our state, including Big Snowies, Middle Fork Judith, West Pioneers, Sapphire Mountains, and the Blue Joint.  Rather than save these lands for future generations to enjoy in their wild state, this legislation could open them for mining, drilling, or destructive development.  Ask Senator Daines to withdraw his support for this bill and allow citizens to have a voice in what happens in our wilderness study areas.

Thanks for your support of NFPA.

Warm Regards,

Debo Powers, NFPA President

Action needed: Daines’ bill would remove wilderness study protection from 449,500 acres!

Action Alerts, Environmental Issues,
Kent Peak in the Sapphire Wilderness Study Area - photo by Sally Carlson
Kent Peak in the Sapphire Wilderness Study Area – photo by Sally Carlson

With no consultation or other public input, Montana’s Senator Daines has introduced a bill to remove protections from five Wilderness Study Areas in Montana totaling 449,500 acres.

The threatened areas are: West Pioneer (151,000 acres), Blue Joint (32,500 acres), Sapphire (94,000), Middle Fork Judith (81,000), and Big Snowies (91,000).

Please take just a few moments to call Sen. Daines and give him an ear-full at

1-855-297-9453

Press coverage: Bill would remove wilderness protections… (Daily Inter Lake)

Gov. Steve Bullock statement on the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument

Action Alerts, Commentary, Environmental Issues, ,
Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in Montana - Bob Wicks/BLM
Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in Montana – Bob Wicks/BLM

This is a direct, to-the-point statement just released by Montana Gov. Steve Bullock concerning efforts to “review” the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument . . .

Today, I sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke urging that no changes be made to the designation of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.

In May, Secretary Zinke began a review of over 20 National Monuments from around the country pursuant to an Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump. The Missouri River Breaks was one of the monuments designated for review. As part of this process, Secretary Zinke reached out to me for my comments and recommendations regarding the Missouri Breaks National Monument.

The Missouri River Breaks offers world-class, once-in-a-lifetime public lands hunting opportunities for trophy mule-deer, elk, and bighorn sheep. Opportunities like these attract over 130,000 visitors to the area every year and provide an annual influx of $10 million to the local economy. The local economy has come to depend on this. In addition to attracting more visitors, the region has sustained growth in many measures of local economic health and prosperity—including a 23 percent increase in real capita income.

Finally, the Missouri Breaks has remained largely unchanged for over 200 years. The monument designation helps keep it that way for our children and grandchildren to share. For these reasons, I strongly recommended that no changes in the size or to the designation of the Monument should be made.

Places like the Missouri River Breaks are important to Montanans and play a significant role in our way of life. These public lands are our heritage and support an unmatched quality of life. I will continue to fight to preserve public access to our lands, rivers, and streams and I oppose any effort that jeopardizes or calls into question the future of the Missouri River Breaks or any other part of our public lands heritage.

As Secretary Zinke continues his review of the Missouri River Breaks National Monument designation, I urge you to reach out to him HERE to share your own comments and experiences within the area.

Sincerely,

STEVE BULLOCK
Governor

Show your support for our national monuments

Action Alerts, Environmental Issues,
Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in Montana - Bob Wicks/BLM
Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in Montana – Bob Wicks/BLM

Our national monuments are under attack! Please speak out in support of them by writing a letter to Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke. In Montana, the Upper Missouri River Breaks is one of the monuments under review. (See the recent NFPA letter to Ryan Zinke for ideas and for Secretary Zinke’s mailing address.)

Also, there will be a Rally for National Monuments in Whitefish where Secretary Zinke will be addressing the Western Governor’s Conference on Tuesday, June 27 at noon in Depot Park. This rally is being organized by a group of conservation organizations in our area. We need as many people to attend as possible so please pass the word …and bring friends and family members.

Alert: Your voice needed to stop anti-public lands resolution in the Montana Legislature

Action Alerts, Environmental Issues
Big Therriault Lake - Kootenai National Forest
Big Therriault Lake – Kootenai National Forest

Your voice is needed to stop an anti-public lands resolution in the Montana Legislature. This resolution, HJ9, comes before the House Natural Resources Committee at 3:00pm today!

Representative Kerry White, a leading proponent of the scheme to transfer and privatize public lands across Montana, has introduced a joint resolution (HJ9) last Friday calling for the release of our state’s most prized wilderness study areas. If that occurred, the Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn, West Pioneer, Blue Joint, Sapphire, Ten Lakes, Middle Fork Judith, and Big Snowies Wilderness Study Areas would all become vulnerable to development. Years of collaborative work by Montanans to help shape the future of these areas would also be laid to waste.

Montana has 44 wilderness study areas, covering more than a million acres and encompassing some of our most stunning landscapes. They elevate our quality of life while contributing to our local economies. They provide important habitat for big game and other wildlife, support vital fisheries for downstream blue-ribbon streams, and offer world-class recreation opportunities. They are also critical sources of clean water for nearby communities.

Since this is a resolution and not a bill, it cannot be vetoed by the Governor.  However, if this resolution passes it will embolden anti-public lands representatives in Congress to release wilderness study areas across the country, including Montana.

NFPA urges you to TAKE ACTION NOW and contact the members of the House Natural Resources Committee.

REP. KIM ABBOT
Email:  Rep.Kim.Abbott@mt.gov

REP. BOB BROWN
Email:  Rep.Bob.Brown@mt.gov

REP. ZACH BROWN
Email:  brownformontana@gmail.com

REP. VIRGINIA COURT
Email:  vcourtforlegislature@yahoo.com

REP. WILLIS CURDY
Email:  Rep.Willis.Curdy@mt.gov

You can also call and leave a message for the committee at 406/444-4800.  Tell them that you adamantly oppose HJ9.