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Hunters, Anglers Ask Congress to Support Front Legislation |
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October 20, 2006 Contacts:
Great Falls, MT – More than 30 hunting and fishing groups, from Libby to Billings, have sent an open letter to Congress asking for full support of pending legislation that would protect federal lands along Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front. The language, which is within the Interior Appropriations bill, would withdraw federal lands along Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front from future natural gas and oil leasing. The language would not effect current leases or bordering state or private lands. The legislation, introduced by Senator Conrad Burns and supported by Senator Max Baucus, is the culmination of years of work by a diverse coalition of Montanans working together to protect the Front. “The local folks on the Front have been working to craft a solution for years,” said Chris Marchion, member of the Anaconda Sportsmen’s Club, one of the groups who signed the letter. “This legislation came out of that hard work. To have it die now would be an insult to those who spent countless hours working on this.” In October of 2004, the Bush Administration temporarily halted plans to drill for natural gas in the Blackleaf area of the Rocky Mountain Front. This gave local citizens more time to develop solutions to protect the area. In a press release, then Assistant Secretary of the Interior Rebecca Watson stated that “President Bush has met with hunters and anglers and told them there are some places that should not be developed in order to protect wildlife.” She continued, “the Rocky Mountain Front is important for wildlife and is of great interest to the hunting community.” Since then, two energy companies, Questar and Startech, have voluntarily donated or shown strong interest in selling their existing leases along the Front. “The Front is a significant source of clean water for this area, and one of the last strongholds for pure strains of Westslope cutthroat Trout,” said David Stalling of Trout Unlimited. “This legislation will not only protect the Front from speculative natural gas exploration but will help protect the entire Missouri River watershed.” In the letter, the groups remind Congressional members that the effort to protect the Front is “a nonpartisan, homegrown” effort and part of a100-year tradition of conservation on the Front. “This letter and the legislation it supports is part of a natural progression in a nearly 100 year tradition of hunters and anglers working to protect the area for what it is – an unmatched piece of critical wildlife habitat,” said Nathan Birkeland of Montana Wildlife Federation. “This legislation came from the ground up and so it was easy for our organization to support this kind of homegrown, win-win solution.” The language will accomplish the following:
In the letter the groups state that they support responsible energy development on public lands but go on to say that there are some places that should not be developed in order to protect wildlife. “We respectfully submit,” the groups write, “that the Rocky Mountain Front is one of these places.” ---------------------------- October 20, 2006 Sen. Conrad Burns Sen. Max Baucus Rep. Denny Rehberg Dear Senator Burns, Senator Baucus, Rep. Rehberg, and other Members of Congress: We, the undersigned organizations, represent thousands of Montana residents and nonresidents who hunt, fish and care about the conservation of fish, wildlife and their habitat. Although our organizations and members encompass a diversity of backgrounds and interests, all of us share a common passion for hunting and fishing, conservation, and a love of Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front – a national treasure known worldwide for its diversity of wildlife and its nearly unmatched conservation history. We are writing to endorse pending legislation within the Fiscal Year 2007 Interior Appropriations Bill, introduced by Sen. Conrad Burns, to withdraw federal lands from future gas and oil leasing within the Rocky Mountain Front with the understanding that in times of emergency Congress can rescind the withdrawal. Combined with recent actions by two energy companies, Startech and Questar, to sell and relinquish their leases along the Front, Sen. Burn’s legislation will help to permanently protect the Rocky Mountain Front from speculative natural gas exploration. This nonpartisan, homegrown solution continues a 100-year tradition of conservation on the Front, protects public access and ranching traditions, enjoys the support of a solid majority of Montanans and helps maintain this stunning landscape for future generations to enjoy. Government studies show there is little energy potential along the Front. By putting the drilling controversy to rest local communities can confidently move forward with plans to enhance their agricultural economies by taking advantage of the public’s proven desire to recreate in protected landscapes. President Bush’s Administration terminated an environmental review of a natural gas exploration project in October 2004, citing public opposition to drilling the Front and its importance to the hunting community. Federal officials then encouraged Montanans to seek creative agreements with leaseholders to put an end to the controversy. In the summer of 2006 the hard work of local citizens, including hunters and anglers, paid off when deals were struck with Questar and Startech to relinquish their leases. To secure assurance from the government that these federal leases won’t go back on the auction block at some later date, Sen. Burns’ legislation would make permanent current government policy to not issue any new oil and gas leases on the Front’s federal land. The Rocky Mountain Front has rightfully been called America’s Serengeti. It’s a place where the Rockies leap from the plains, and as the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks points out, it remains in the top one percent of habitat for fish and wildlife in Montana. By our thinking, that translates to the top percent of habitat in the lower 48.
One-quarter of Montana resident households hunt, and nearly half fish. The Front’s fish and wildlife resources contribute to the fact that fish and wildlife related expenditures in Montana contribute well over one billion dollars in economic impact in the State. All of us support responsible energy development of our public lands. These lands play an important role in local economic development and help to fuel the nation. However, just as the Bush administration stated in October 2004, there are some places that should not be developed in order to protect wildlife. We respectfully submit, based on our own personal experience, that the Rocky Mountain Front is one of these places. We urge you and your colleagues in Congress to help pass Sen.
Burns’ proposed legislation and help us,
and other citizens, achieve permanent protection
of the Rocky Mountain Front. The undersigned hunting, angling and conservation organizations:
CC: All members of the U.S. Congress |
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Thank you for all you do for Montana's public lands, wildlife, and fair-chase hunting and fishing heritage. Montana Wildlife Federation, with nearly 7,000 members, is the largest and oldest statewide nonprofit wildlife conservation organization of hunters and anglers who work to protect Montana's lands and waters and its hunting and fishing heritage. To learn more about MWF, go to www.montanawildlife.com. |
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This message is brought to you by the Montana Wildlife Federation ... Montana's largest, statewide wildlife conservation organization with over 7,000 members. |
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Thank
you once more for standing up for Montana's wildlife heritage. |
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| For More Info: | Larry Copenhaver, Conservation
Director Montana Wildlife Federation (406) 458-0227 • (800) 517-7256 Email: lcopenhaver@mtwf.org |
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