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| Sep 09, 2010 - 02:43 PM |
Queen City News - Helena's FREE Weekly Newspaper |
Helena, Montana |
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The U.S. House’s Natural Resources Committee’s subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands will hold a hearing Thursday, Oct. 18, on the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (H.R. 1975), sponsored by U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) and 114 other representatives.
NREPA will designate all of the inventoried roadless areas in the Northern Rockies as wilderness, the strongest protection the federal government can confer on public lands. It is the first hearing held on the bill since 1994.
Aiming to preserve the biological integrity of the Northern Rockies ecosystem, NREPA will designate as wilderness nearly 7 million acres of wilderness in Montana, 9.5 million acres of wilderness in Idaho, 5 million acres of wilderness in Wyoming, 750,000 acres in eastern Oregon, and 500,000 acres in eastern Washington on federal public land. Included in this total is more than 3 million acres in Yellowstone, Glacier and Grand Teton national parks.
NREPA also establishes a pilot wildland recovery system. More than 6,000 miles of damaging or unused roads will be restored to roadless conditions.
“NREPA is a common-sense bill that will save taxpayer dollars, create thousands of good jobs, and protect vast expanses of treasured public land – land that belongs to the American people,” Rep. Maloney said. “NREPA’s time has come. I want to thank Chairman Rahall and Subcommittee Chairman Grijalva for holding the first hearing on this important issue in nearly a decade.”
Rep. Shays added, “The Northern Rocky Mountains are one of America’s great wilderness preserves – a living treasure, and home to a critical component of the continent’s ecosystem. It is imperative we preserve and protect our environment. We simply will not have a world to live in if we continue our neglectful ways.”
Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., has said he is opposed to the bill’s “top down” approach and is concerned that not enough local input about its potential impact on local economies has been included to date.
Grizzly bears, caribou, elk, bison, wolves, bull trout and salmon still thrive in the Northern Rockies. Supporters say the bill seeks to safeguard both these species and the lands on which they live.
“The Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act will create high-paying jobs by recovering old roads and clearcuts, save taxpayers money and protect the environment,” said Michael Garrity of Helena, executive director of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies.
More information about the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act can be found atwww.wildrockies.org/nrepa. The bill can be found at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ query/z?c110:H.R.1975.IH:.
Volunteers sought for Heritage Lands Group
The Prickly Pear Land Trust has launched a project designed to help residents identify ways to conserve rural lands in Lewis & Clark County. In conjunction with the Lewis & Clark Conservation District, Lewis & Clark County, and the City of Helena, the Land Trust recently started the Heritage Lands Outreach Program.
As a first step, 12 volunteers are needed to serve on the new Heritage Lands Working Group. The group will work with the public and meet at least monthly for about a year to learn about and recommend tools to help conserve rural areas.
“Heritage lands are the foundation that much of our high quality of life in Lewis & Clark County is built upon,” says Andy Baur, the Prickly Pear Land Trust’s executive director. “By heritage lands, we mean our productive farms and historic ranches, but also forests, trout streams, wildlife habitat, and scenic landscapes. Because so many of these assets are privately held, or influenced by private decisions, we need to work directly with landowners.”
To express interest in serving on the Heritage Lands Working Group, contact Chris Evans, district administrator, Lewis & Clark Conservation District, as soon as possible (but no later than Friday, October 19). Evans can be reached at 449-5000, ext. 112, or e-mail to lccd@mt.net, or mail to 790 Colleen St., Helena, 59601.
Schweitzer names members
Governor Brian Schweitzer has appointed five new members to the Capitol Investment Board. The board will be charged with implementing the 2005 Montana Equity Capitol Investment Act, which will allow investors to use differed tax credits as incentives to provide equity investments in Montana. The newly appointed members are:
Gary Buchanan of Billings (chairman), president/CEO of Buchanan Capital, LLC. Previously, he was regional director, branch manager and senior vice president of D.A. Davidson. Buchanan has also been with Dain Rauscher and Merrill Lynch. He was the first director of the Montana Department of Commerce and has also served on the Montana Banking Board.
Robert Minto of Missoula, president, CEO and director of ALPS Corporation since 1987; Robert Pancich of Great Falls, retired from the Montana Board of Investments as an assistant investment officer for the Montana Loan Program; Lawrence Anderson of Great Falls, an attorney who has established and managed settlement trusts and has also worked in the Montana State Auditor’s office and for the Montana Legal Services Association, and Ellen Feaver of Helena, a consultant with Employee Benefit Resources, LLP, since 1997 and a former director of the Departments of Administration and Revenue.
Upper Big Hole reopened
The upper Big Hole River from Rock Creek Road to the North Fork reopened to fishing beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007. This 19-mile stretch of river was closed to all fishing on July 5 due to low flows and high water temperatures. The closure was focused on protecting critical Arctic grayling habitats.
The river reached the reopening criteria established by the Big Hole River Watershed Committee on Oct. 5 with average daily flows of more than 40 cfs flow (measured at Wisdom) for seven days in a row.
“Recent rain and snow storms, accompanied by a welcomed cooling trend have substantially increased flow despite some continued fall irrigation demand,” said Peter Lamothe, FWP grayling habitat biologist.
“The sacrifices made by irrigators and anglers have helped get the fishery through this difficult summer and we appreciate their contributions,” said Dick Oswald, FWP fisheries biologist. “We also recognize the efforts of the Big Hole Watershed Committee to help protect the unparalleled fisheries resources of the Big Hole through these periods of extreme drought.”
The Big Hole Watershed Committee developed the Drought Plan in cooperation with FWP and Big Hole landowners and area sportsman’s organizations. The committee was formed in 1995 out of an interest in protecting and preserving the outstanding natural resources of the Big Hole drainage.
For additional information on all fishing restrictions and other drought updates, visit fwp.mt.gov and click on Drought & Fire Updates.
Cabela’s coming to Billings
Cabela’s of Sidney, Neb., announced Monday that it plans to build a retail store in Billings. The store is anticipated to encompass 80,000 square feet as part of the Billings Town Square development to be located near the South Billings Boulevard exit off I-90. Construction is expected to begin soon, and the store is expected to open for business in early next summer.
“Montana is a mecca for sportsmen and women from around the country and Cabela’s is proud to become part of the state’s great outdoor tradition,” said Dennis Highby, Cabela’s president and CEO. “We anticipate not only great response from our many loyal customers in Montana and the surrounding region, but also expect to find hard-working employees who are knowledgeable about hunting, fishing and the outdoors.”
The Cabela’s store will be the main feature of a new retail shopping center being developed by Foursquare Properties, which has worked with Cabela’s on retail locations in Post Falls, Idaho, and Rapid City, S.D.
To operate the new store, Cabela’s officials said they plan to employ people from Billings and the surrounding area. Product offerings will include hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, boating and wildlife-watching equipment, as well as outdoor clothing and outdoor-themed gifts and furnishings.
Cabela’s currently operates 21 retail locations and plans to open five additional new stores in 2007, including East Hartford, Conn.; Hammond, Ind.; Reno, Nev.; Post Falls, Idaho, and Lacey, Wash.
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The Queen City News is published every Wednesday in Helena, MT, by Mossback Media, LLC.
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