Bear Creek Council Newsletter - February 2009

[Bear Creek Council]

President’s Message – Carolyn Duckworth


We live in Wonderland, and we all know what that says about Yellowstone. But it also speaks well for Montana. We live in one of the few states where democracy works so clearly, and where individuals can make such a difference. I still believe that, I still
participate—even when I am bitterly disappointed. We did not succeed in moving HB 253 out of committee, but we learned a lot trying—and we’ll kept trying.


When I lived in Virginia, I felt powerless. Too many people, too many intricacies. Not here. My sister marvels that I know someone who lives hundreds of miles from me in the middle of the Montana plains, who showed up in an article in the Washington Post. It was Dan Tiegen, an active member of Northern Plains. I marvel that she mobilized more than a dozen friends along the East Coast to write to our representatives in Helena supporting the bison bill. They feel powerless at home, but they feel powerful and passionate about Montana and bison. You will have other opportunities to help move important bills forward in this legislative session. Read the alerts and make those calls and send those emails. They really do make a difference, here in Wonderland.

Carolyn

NEW & RENEWING MEMBERS SINCE JANUARY:

Maryanne Mott
Rick and Mary Lee Reese
Toni Ruth
Richard & Nanc Parks
Joseph A. Regula
Catherine Millis
Bob Fuhrmann & Jean Johnson
George Bumann & Jennifer Golding
Patricia Bigelow
George & Susan Nell
Jeanne-Marie Souvigney & Bob Raney
Paul Miller
Ashea Mills & Michael Tercek
Trudy Patton
Heidi Anderson
Rebecca Kreklau
Barbara O’Grady

Bear Creek Council (BCC) membership ($40) includes membership in Northern Plains Resource Council. Northern Plains supports BCC with a community organizer, lobbying, fund-raising, member trainings and representation on the Northern Plains board.

Agenda

* Budget will be presented and voted on

* Updates/discussion on:
Greening
Planning
Bison
Bear Awareness
Yellowstone River Trail project

* 2nd Century Commission--chance for those who attended sessions to share highlights with the group


2009 Issues


The issues and currently identified budget amounts for each are:


1) Greening Gardiner
-- implementation of the $24,000 solar grant. $1,000.
-- Earth Day educational effort at the Gardiner School, involving solar and greenness.
-- scholarship to deserving student. $500.
-- green forums. $150.

2) Recycling
-- increase glass recycling in Gardiner. details TBD.

3) Light Pollution and Energy Consumption in Gardiner
-- projects to reduce both with improvements to street lights, at the school and private residences.

4) County-wide Planning
-- decide what to do in the post-initiative future.
-- use of remaining PCOF funds
-- recruitment of non-BCC helpers for future efforts.

5) Bison
-- monitor IBMP and hunt. $300 for travel costs to George Nell.

6) Yellowstone River Trail Proposal
-- volunteer labor.
-- educational outreach.
-- seek grants.

7) Bear Awareness in Gardiner
-- living in bear country.
-- hunter safety.
-- wider wildlife awareness.


Bison and late season hunts: Who do you call?

If you witness unethical hunting behavior or have any questions at all about the bison and late season elk hunts, who do you call?

For questions on the state or tribal bison hunts: Sam Sheppard, 581-2462 (cell)
For questions about any other hunting in our vicinity: Jim Miller, 223-3918 (cell)

Bison Bill Wallows In Committee

If you are on the Bear Creek mailing list, you know well that we worked hard and fast on HB 253, the Wild Buffalo Conservation and Recovery Act. We testified in Helena, Julia lobbied on its merits, and we collaborated with a half dozen other local, regional, and national groups in testimony, calls, emails, and letters. On a very confusing and frustrating day in early February, the bill was voted down in committee. But we learned about the bill’s weak points, the arguments presented by the opposition, and how we may still be able to move some parts of the bill forward outside the legislature. While we ponder all these things, we will also try to load as much detail as we can onto the website. Please give us a while to get this done, and check the site often.


Bison Forum?


Would you like to hear more details about the progress in bison management, what issues arose during the bison bill debate, and other updates about bison? If you do, would you prefer a public forum? A special members-only presentation? What do you want to know and who do you want to hear from? Share your thoughts at the general meeting or email Carolyn before then.


Planning

Wheels are starting to turn in planning—within Bear Creek and throughout the county. Bill Berg, Lynn Chan, and Carolyn traveled to Livingston on February 3 to meet with other planning allies to discuss how to support the Park County Growth Policy, now that it has passed. The news is good—the county planners are experiencing interest and support now that the plan has passed. In addition, one of us will be attending a gathering of regional groups to discuss the same; that meeting is the day of our February general meeting. We’ll present the highlights of both meetings at the general meeting, will try to get details on our website, and/or include a more thorough report in the March newsletter or in a separate email to members.

Stay tuned!


Jardine Ski Run

The date will be Sunday, March 1. Volunteers for a variety of duties are needed; contact Jeanne. Nanc Parks and Betty Deweese are in charge of food; contact them to add your culinary contributions. Donations for prizes will be solicited inside and outside the community and individual donations are also accepted.


Mineral Hill Mine

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has reviewed the bond requirements and the bond amount
for Mineral Hill will be reduced from $5.5 million to $3.5million based on water flow reductions and surface area reclamation. BCC has no objections. –Richard Parks


Legislative Updates

1)“Energy Efficiency in Montana’s Schools” Passage of this bill would facilitate competition for federal money.

2) SB 49 – Energy efficiency standards for state buildings. Go to the NPRC website for more details, additional bills, and how you can get involved.

March 2 will be a NPRC Lobby day for all members.

Additional bills of particular interest to BCC:

2) HB 217 – Livestock testing reimbursement – would divert money from FWP budget.

3) Big Sky Rivers Act – would require a 300’ set-back for construction on 10 specific rivers. Sponsored by
former BCC member Michelle Reinhart.


SB337 threatens bison quarantine success

Ah, the legislative season: first a good bison bill goes down, now a bad one rises. It’s SB337, sponsored by John Brenden (R-Scobey) (that’s above the Fort Peck Reservation, close to Canada). He is seeking to add a restrictive statute to the same law we were trying to liberalize: MCA 87-1-216:

The department [Fish, Wildlife and Parks] may not relocate wild buffalo or bison as a result of the state-federal bison quarantine feasibility study.

This means the bison who have been carefully and scientifically tested and are now certified disease-free by the federal agency in charge of such things (APHIS), will be killed instead of being released to tribes, other state wildlife agencies, or nonprofit groups. It means they all die, here, north of Gardiner, in the facility. It means that bison leaving Yellowstone can NEVER be sent anywhere other than slaughter.

Bear Creek is neutral on the quarantine facility, in part so we can serve as neutral observers of the operation. The facility managers and scientists treat the bison well, and their research has been careful. They look forward to this spring when the first group of bison can be relocated.

As of this writing, the hearing is scheduled for February 17 at 3 pm. We will send out notices for emails, calls, etc. as before, and hope that you can respond. We will travel to Helena, again, to testify against this bill.