Conservation Conundrum

Muddy Waters is an excellent article about Mitchell Slough in this weeks Missoula Independent. The article covers much of the long and convoluted history of the private/public controversy over the waters of Mitchell Slough. Bugle readers will remember our coverage of SB314 back in February. The bill, from early in the legislative session, was presented [...]

Stimulate Fort Peck

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced in Helena today that Montana Refuges And Hatcheries will get $3 million in federal stimulus money. Meanwhile, sitting on the governor’s desk, rests SB425, the bitterly fought bill to give about $200,000 a year to continue to run the Fort Peck warm water hatchery until 2012 when the bill repeals [...]

Mandatory Reading

Here’s my vote for the most overused headline of the past week: “Coal Mine Leases Could Mean Riches For Montana“. This is the AP story about the $1.4 billion appraisal over 40 years for the Otter Creek coal tracts. The story is for the most part true, but the gist of the headline suggests that [...]

Maybe We Shouldn’t Otter

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and the State Land Board wants to hear your comments on the development of the Otter Creek coal tracts southeast of Ashland. You have until May 22 to submit comments to Monte Mason, the Minerals Management Bureau Chief. The Land Board will likely consider the comments at their June [...]

More Methane Madness

The AP reports that the Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that water produced from coal bed methane wells is groundwater and energy companies must obtain groundwater permits or replace the water. The companies must defer to senior water rights holders and replace pumped water that belongs to others. The Wyoming Supreme Court is also considering [...]

Invasive Species

In another example of bucket biology gone wild, a population of northern pike (esox lucius) has been discovered in the Jefferson River, endangering a recovering wild trout population. Although the population estimate for the Jefferson is currently quite low and the riverine environment not an ideal habitat for the top predator, the species has become [...]

Where There’s A Will …

Sometimes the legislature is like a magic show. Bills that you thought were long dead and gone suddenly pop up on the floor of the House or Senate with little notice. SB498, a bill for the regulation of carbon dioxide sequestration squirted out of the House FRET committee today and goes up for a second [...]

Walleye Win

The Montana House passed SB425, the Walleye Welfare Act unamended on second reading this morning by a vote of 61-36. The vote was pretty much party line with eastern Dems voting beside the GOP. There were some changes from those voting the bill out on blast, but the result was practically the same. From the [...]

Devious Doin’s, Walleye Welfare Is Back!

Those sneaky bastards!  SB425, the Walleye Welfare Act has been blown out of committee and comes up for a floor vote in the House TOMORROW 04/17!  Please contact your local legislators and all your friends. We need to get some email sent. This bill is a covert attempt by FWP to repeal the warm water [...]

Say It Ain’t So

The Great Falls Tribune ran an article this morning about the upcoming lease of the Otter Creek coal reserves just to the west of the Cheyenne Reservation in south central Montana. A new appraisal finds that the state could get as much as $1.4 billion for the coal over the next forty years. What struck [...]