Comments for The Button Valley Bugle

Comment on Exempt water ain’t free water by Is This the Beginning of the End for Exempt Wells in Montana? « 4&20 blackbirds

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:33:03 +0000

[...] The Button Valley Bugle, word comes that the Clark Fork Coalition and four other senior water rights holders, all from [...]

Comment on Exempt water ain’t free water by Bugle Editor

Bugle Editor — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:10:13 +0000

I know I heard something about the AZ case, but I don't know where. The MT exemption was reduced from 100 gpm to 35 gpm by the legislature in 1991, but I don't know the exact history. I found a link to the petition from the Western Environmental Law Center and updated the article. Most interesting reading. I think I'll add a new article this afternoon with more info from the petition. It's going to be interesting to watch this play out. A New Mexico circuit court struck down their exempt wells statute last year and that is probably headed for state supreme court. Washington state has halted ALL groundwater development in the Yakima basin including exempt wells so, maybe the time has come for Montana to get some common sense back in our water laws. We're still in the early rounds.

Comment on Exempt water ain’t free water by jhwygirl

jhwygirl — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:51:08 +0000

La la la – happy happy joy joy. This is definitely some good news.

Have you heard of the recent or somewhat recent ruling in Arizona? If I am recalling correctly, their Supreme Court ruled against the exemption for 2.5 gpm wells. So this challenge here wasn’t long in coming.

i was on a path recently to search out the history on the 35 gpm exemption. It used to be larger. 100 gpm? 125? It was lowered because irrigators were using the exemption for center pivots. It might even had been driven by subdivisions who couldn’t get enough water. It’s just beyond the online archive reach of the legislative website.

Exempt wells are a serious property rights issue.

I almost wonder if something won’t be done to keep it from hitting the court system. It’d have to get up to the Supreme Court to have an effect statewide.

Comment on Subsidizing carbon pollution by More Reasons Why Montana Otter Not the Coals Leases on Otter Creek « 4&20 blackbirds

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:46:52 +0000

[...] myriad of boondoggles – sequestration, gasification – and Sunday’s article Subsidizing Carbon Pollution is a [...]

Comment on Major Conceptual and Factual Errors by More Reasons Why Montana Otter Not the Coals Leases on Otter Creek « 4&20 blackbirds

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:44:44 +0000

[...] ruling and pre-cap-and-trade legislation). They’re probably also looking at the rest of the Major Conceptual and Factual Errors, brought to you courtesy The Button Valley [...]

Comment on Book Report: The Big Burn by Bugle Editor

Bugle Editor — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:39:26 +0000

I loved it. I’m pumped to read The Worst Hard Time, Egan’s take on the dust bowl years now.

Comment on Book Report: The Big Burn by Jonathan Weber

Jonathan Weber — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:26:01 +0000

Great post. Tim Egan is a terrific writer and journalist and I can’t wait to read it.

Comment on Maybe We Shouldn’t Otter by Action Item: Otter Creek Coal at State Land Board Monday, 9 a.m. « 4&20 blackbirds

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:12:01 +0000

[...] For a great start, Button Valley has done a number of pieces. Remember the Tongue River Valley and Maybe We Shouldn’t Otter are two that contain a number of links to other sources, including one to 4&20 hero and Indy [...]

Comment on Remember The Tongue River Valley by Action Item: Otter Creek Coal at State Land Board Monday, 9 a.m. « 4&20 blackbirds

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:32:45 +0000

[...] have blogged on Otter Creek. For a great start, Button Valley has done a number of pieces. Remember the Tongue River Valley and Maybe We Shouldn’t Otter are two that contain a number of links to other sources, [...]

Comment on Drill baby drill by Bugle Editor

Bugle Editor — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:19:40 +0000

You bet. Thanks Charley. I encourage folks to take a look at the results of the Sept. meeting. Some good stuff there like the updated water quality regulations and the overview of water law in Montana and the West.