Expansion of Federal Control Over Water and Land
The Clean Water Restoration Act will extend federal
control of water to all waters in the US including "
waters subject to the ebb and flow of the tide, the territorial
seas, and all interstate and intrastate waters, including lakes,
rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats,
sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa
lakes, and natural ponds, all tributaries of any of the above
waters, and all impoundments of the forgoing." Language
in the Findings section of the bill will be interpreted by the
courts to allow federal regulation of activities that might affect
these waters including construction, lawn maintenance, farming and
much more.
The takeover of GM and Chrysler by the feds is
small potatoes compared to this takeover of private property.
S. 787 HAS BEEN SENT TO THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE
WITHOUT A HEARING. THE SENATE COULD VOTE ANYTIME ON THIS
BILL. WE NEED TO FLOOD OUR SENATORS WITH OPPOSITION FAXES AND
PHONE CALLS.
GO TO OUR BILL WATCHLIST
FOR MORE INFO 06/09
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The Galton Project
The Kootenai NF will be doing site specific planning
on all of the forest east of HWY 93 plus some lands around Dickey
Lake and Ant Flat. This area contains the Ten Lakes Wilderness
Study Area and extensive Inventoried Roadless Areas. Montana
Wilderness Assoc. is pushing hard to turn most of it into
wilderness. Presently snowmobiling is permitted inside the WSA.
There is a very real threat of a reduction in motorized access in
this area. You can find out more <HERE>
03/08
Trading Wilderness for Jobs and Recreation
Montana Wilderness Association and other
environmental organizations have enticed local recreationists and
lumber mills to join them in sponsoring wilderness legislation with
a promise of jobs and recreation. The problem is that every
proposal we have seen has little or nothing more than promises for
jobs and recreation. The wilderness part of the bill is
immediate and permanent. The rest will come over a period of
10 years if it happens at all. Environmentalists can still sue
to stop recreation and timber harvest projects. These proposals will create
1 million acres of new and defacto wilderness on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge, Kootenai, and Lolo national
forests in Montana. We believe more proposals are planned.
Senator Tester has agreed to sponsor S. 1470 in the
Senate. You can find more info on the bill >>HERE<<
Go >HERE<
to learn more about how the bill came about. 06/09
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NREPA
Northern
Rockies Ecosystem
Protection Act
THE HEARING WAS HELD MAY 5, 2009
No further action has been taken as of 6/14/09
NREPA has been
re-introduced in Congress. This time it might have a chance to
pass. NREPA is the giant wilderness bill that has been
introduced in every session of congress since 1992. It would :
Please tell your congressmen that we have
enough wilderness and don't need this massive wilderness bill forced
on the good people of these western states.
NREPA is partial implementation of The
Wildlands Project in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.
Go >HERE<
to learn more about NREPA and about what you can do to stop
it. SAVE THE WEST also has a website dedicated to
defeating NREPA at www.savethewest.net
06/09
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Roadless Rule Yo-Yo
The Clinton Roadless Area Conservtion Rule (RACR) is
up and the Bush repeal and replacement of that rule is
down.
In
October, 2006, a federal judge in California threw out the Bush
Roadless Rule and reinstated the Clinton Roadless Area Conservation
Rule (RACR). This decision was appealed.
Shortly after the overthrow of the Bush rule, the Governor
of Idaho petitioned the Secretary of Agriculture for changes to
roadless management in Idaho. He bypassed both Bush and
Clinton roadless rules and made his request under the Administrative
Procedures Act. This may be a useful tool for states in the
future. 12/2/06
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Forest Plan Revision
Both KIPZ and
WMPZ
have released their Draft Forest Plan. The comment periods are
over and they are working on the Final EIS. The FEIS for all
of these forests.is on hold pending a legal decision on the Bush
Planning Rule which has been enjoined by a federal judge. This
plan was processed under the Bush rule. Depending on the legal
outcome, it may have to be redone.
When the FEIS is
issued their will be a 30 day objection period after which changes
may be made and the Record of Decision (ROD) issued. Appeals
are not allowed under the new planning regulations. After the
ROD, we have to live with the plan or take it to court. 03/08
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Donations
Needed
MFMU has come to the
realization after years of comment letters, public meetings, press
releases, appeals to reason, and radio and tv appearances, that, in
order to effect the changes we desire to see on the public lands, we
must take our case to court. Lawsuits are expensive. We
have only three ways to raise the necessary funds. Memberships, fund
raisers like raffles, and direct appeals.
We have established
a new membership option. The Lifetime member will receive a handsome
belt buckle and plaque commemorating his or her contribution to the MFMU
legal fund. Learn more about
Lifetime memberships
Fundraisers are held
throughout the year and are announced in local media.
In addition to
memberships and fundraisers it is clear to us that we will need donations,
large and small, from a concerned public in order to be successful in our
legal pursuits. We have started a new charitable organization called
Montanans For Multiple Use Education Fund, MFMUEF or
just the Fund. Donations to the fund are tax
deductible.
If you can help,
please go to our donations
page for more information. 5/05
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Pending
NEPA Projects
NEPA stands for
National Environmental Protection Act. Not to be confused with NREPA,
Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act or NFEPA, National Forest
Ecosystem Protection Act
These projects will need additional
comments in the near future. Be aware - keep posted by
returning often to this
page.
Kootenai and Idaho Panhandle
Forest Plan Revision
KIPZ has decided to use the new planning
rules. The
Draft Plan (DEIS) has been released and the comment period is
closed. The Final EIS is on hold pending a legal decision on
the planning process.
After it is released there will be a 30 day objection period before the ROD is
issued and the plan is implemented. Go to www.fs.fed.us/kipz
for more information or click on the link above. 03/08
The Flathead, Bitterroot and Lolo
Forest Plan Revision
WMPZ has released its draft plan and the
comment period is over. The Final EIS
is on hold.
After that there will be a 30 day objection period before the ROD is
issued and the plan is implemented. 03/08
