Tag Archives: mining leases

Tester bill wants ban on mining near Yellowstone

April 26, 2017Environmental Issues, NewsJon Tester, mining leases, Yellowstone National Parknfpa

Yellowstone National Park sign at the North Entrance - Jim Peaco, NPS, October 1992 — Yellowstone National Park sign at the North Entrance

Sen. Jon Tester wants to firm up the ban on mining leases on public lands near Yellowstone National Park . . .

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester has introduced legislation to permanently ban new mining in an area of Montana just outside Yellowstone National Park.

The Montana Democrat says responsible natural resource development is an important part of Montana’s economy but the doorstep of Yellowstone is one place that should be protected.

Tester’s proposal would withdraw federal mineral rights on some 30,000 acres of public land in the Custer Gallatin National Forest just north of Yellowstone.

North Fork protection nearing completion

August 15, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsCanadian Flathead, Flathead River Valley, Jon Tester, Max Baucus, memorandum of understanding, mining leases, North Fork Watershed Protection Act, Trans-boundary Flatheadnfpa

Here’s an interesting article from the past week’s Hungry Horse News . . .

A deal to permanently protect the North Fork of the Flathead could come soon, Montana Sen. Jon Tester said last week.

“Maybe as soon as September we could get an agreement that is binding,” Tester said in a conference call with reporters last Thursday.

Read the full article . . .

Mining ban on North Fork federal lands clears Senate committee

August 6, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsFlathead Valley, Jon Tester, Max Baucus, mining ban, mining leases, North Fork Flathead, North Fork Protection Act, oil leases, water qualitynfpa

Posted early this morning to the Missoulian’s website . . .

A measure that would ban federal-land mining along Glacier National Park’s western edge has passed a major Senate hurdle, and has been expanded to provide water-quality protections for nearby communities…

…the bill banning future federal mine leases has been expanded from its original to include the watershed upstream of Whitefish Lake, the nearby Haskill Basin drainage, and the wild and scenic Middle Fork Flathead corridor.

Read the full article . . .

Montana senators’ North Fork bill passes committee

August 6, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsFlathead Valley, Jon Tester, Max Baucus, mining ban, mining leases, North Fork Flathead, North Fork Protection Act, oil leasesnfpa

From the Associated Press . . .

Montana’s U.S. Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester announced today that their federal legislation to protect the Upper Flathead Valley has cleared a major hurdle.

Read the full article . . .

B.C. Premier expects to know mining costs soon on North Fork deal

July 18, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsBrian Schweitzer, Flathead Lakers, Flathead River Valley, Gordon Campbell, mining leasesnfpa

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.

Read the full article . . .

Flathead Lakers recognize Gov. Schweitzer for North Fork agreement with Canada

July 16, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsBrian Schweitzer, Flathead Lakers, Flathead River Valley, Gordon Campbell, mining leasesnfpa

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.)

Read the full article . . .

See also the Flathead Lakers website . . .

Tensions flare over Schweitzer’s deal with Canada to protect North Fork

July 2, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsBrian Schweitzer, Canadian Flathead, Flathead River Valley, Gordon Campbell, Jon Tester, Max Baucus, mining leases, Trans-boundary Flatheadnfpa

From an Associated Press article posted yesterday . . .

Gov. Brian Schweitzer is facing sharp questions from Montana’s congressional delegation over the way the governor has handled an agreement with Canada to protect the Glacier National Park area.

Schweitzer inked a deal with Canadian officials earlier this year promising that both sides would move to permanently protect the Flathead region from development. The governor promised the U.S. side would come up with millions to buy out two Canadian companies — a promise Schweitzer apparently made without first getting federal officials on board.

The Democratic governor had been critical of the congressional delegation — U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester along with Rep. Denny Rehberg — for failing to come up with the cash.

Tester and Baucus, both Democrats, sent an unusually terse letter to the governor Wednesday. In it, they pointedly ask where Schweitzer expected the money to come from — and where it would go.

Read the full article (highly recommended) . . .

For additional background, read the text of Wednesday’s letter to Gov. Schweitzer from Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester.

Coalition slowly planning way to pay for protecting North Fork of Flathead

June 29, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsBrian Schweitzer, British Columbia, Canadian Flathead, Columbia River Restoration Act of 2010, Flathead River Valley, Gordon Campbell, mining leases, North Fork Flathead, Trans-boundary Flathead, western governors conferencenfpa

Here’s an insightful follow-up article on last weekend’s Western governors meeting, written by Michael Jamison and posted to the Missoulian’s website early this morning . . .

A plan to forever protect Canadian wildlands north of Glacier National Park — and to pay for those protections — is slowly taking shape, cobbled together by an international coalition that includes local, state and federal partners.

Read the full article . . .

Schweitzer pushes to secure North Fork protection deal with British Columbia

June 29, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsBrian Schweitzer, British Columbia, Canadian Flathead, Flathead River Valley, mining leases, North Fork Flathead, Trans-boundary Flathead, western governors conference, Whitefishnfpa

Here’s the Associated Press take on last weekend’s Western governors meeting in Whitefish. This story is getting some national coverage. From yesterday’s Billings Gazette . . .

Gov. Brian Schweitzer isn’t done jousting with federal officials over a deal with Canada to protect the area surrounding Glacier National Park.

Montana’s governor used the bully pulpit over the weekend as chairman of the Western governors to again criticize his federal partners in the deal — even as the Obama administration was talking with the Canada about moving the state-level pact along.

Read the full article . . .

Governor suggests Columbia Basin bill could help protect North Fork

Coverage of last weekend’s western governor’s conference in Whitefish from the Flathead Beacon . . .

Gov. Brian Schweitzer called on Montana’s federal delegation Sunday to support legislation by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, dedicated to restoring the Columbia River Basin, as a way to fund commitments in the agreement between Montana and British Columbia to protect the North Fork from mining and drilling in Canada.

“Don’t be running after the bus, get on the bus and sit beside the driver,” Schweitzer said. “And this bill is the vehicle.”

Read the full article . . .

North Fork Preservation Association

News and information about NFPA and the North Fork of the Flathead River

Tag Archives: mining leases

Tester bill wants ban on mining near Yellowstone

North Fork protection nearing completion

Mining ban on North Fork federal lands clears Senate committee

Montana senators’ North Fork bill passes committee

B.C. Premier expects to know mining costs soon on North Fork deal

Flathead Lakers recognize Gov. Schweitzer for North Fork agreement with Canada

Tensions flare over Schweitzer’s deal with Canada to protect North Fork

Coalition slowly planning way to pay for protecting North Fork of Flathead

Schweitzer pushes to secure North Fork protection deal with British Columbia

Governor suggests Columbia Basin bill could help protect North Fork