Oil development in Montana must consider wildlife
As a sportsman, I enjoy nothing more than stalking mule deer on a brisk October morning or hooking into big rainbows in June on Montana’s famed waterways. When it comes to hunting and fishing, Montanans are blessed with more miles of blue-ribbon trout streams than any other state except Alaska and we have the longest general elk season at five weeks.
However, this outdoor legacy has never seen a greater threat than the upcoming oil and gas boom that seeks to develop millions of acres of Montana’s finest fish and wildlife habitat. Our multiple-use public lands are threatened to become a single-use oil and gas development frenzy.
When looking to Wyoming, it doesn’t take much thinking to realize that we need to develop oil and gas differently in Montana. Areas hit hard by energy development near Pinedale, Wyoming, have seen a 46 percent decline in the mule deer population over the last year alone in what used to be the most sought-after big buck hunting district in the state. The level of disturbance from a constant frenzy of drill rigs, trucks and gas-powered compressors has taken its toll on wildlife. Wyoming is responding to these increased pressures by reducing the number of available tags and shortening the length of the hunting season, yet the hunting opportunities will never be the same and sportsmen are losing out big-time because of a boom-and-bust economy.
Fortunately for Montana, we can learn from the mistakes of other states and develop our energy resources in a way that gets the gas to market while taking care of fish and wildlife and our hunting and fishing heritage. One way Montana can ensure that our $1 billion-plus annual hunting and fishing industry is protected is by empowering Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP) to take the lead role in working with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and energy companies to make sure that energy development is done right and in a way that meets the needs of fish and wildlife.
It is FWP that works in the best interest of hunters and anglers by identifying and working to conserve the most important habitat for mule deer, sage grouse, and trout, while also identifying those areas valued highest by sportsmen. Montanans need FWP working with the BLM to make sure that our blue-ribbon trout fisheries such as the Bighorn and Beaverhead Rivers are taken care of so tomorrow’s generation of Montanans can enjoy the same fishing experiences we have had.
Montanans need the relationship between FWP and the BLM to be official. Currently, there are no assurances that the BLM will coordinate oil and gas leasing and development in a way that meets the needs of fish and wildlife. Instead, BLM has been racing to see how fast they can lease out and sell the rights to drill every acre of public land in Montana that’s available for energy development. Once a lease is sold, it is very difficult to stop an oil company from drilling or to get them to drill a little differently than what specifically is written in the leasing contract - even if it was later found that the area in question is located on the most important mule deer or sage grouse habitat.
More than 3.1 million acres of Montana’s landscape have already been leased for development and thousands of new acres are leased every two months - largely without a plan for fish and wildlife or the funding to fulfill the needs identified in the plans that do exist. With no comprehensive plan for development in concert with fish and wildlife conservation, our hunting and fishing opportunities will go downhill fast.
We need to change the way energy development is done in Montana so we aren’t the next ones wondering where all the nice bucks have gone. Montana sportsmen and sportswomen believe there is no better group of folks than those at FWP when it comes to working on behalf of our hunting and fishing heritage. After all, great hunting and fishing are a part of life in Montana, and we need to make sure it stays that way by balancing the needs of fish and wildlife with energy development on our public lands.
Joel Webster
Field representative with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and works out of Missoula.
The Distance Learning Rule
My husband and I attended the May 11 meeting of the State Board of Public Education, held in Great Falls. We were concerned about the Distance Learning Rule and its implications on the dual credit programs, in particular Running Start. A program that Flathead High School has in conjunction with Flathead Valley Community College in which high school students can earn dual credit for classes taken at the college level.
These dual credit programs are so valuable, not only to parents who save on college tuition costs, but also, to taxpayers. Community college education, especially done through high school saves an enormous amount of money per student.
When a student goes to a state college or university tuition covers only part of the actual cost of their education. The state pays the additional costs. Dual credit programs are so cost efficient that other states offer these to their high school students at little or no cost. Other communities throughout our state have similar programs with their local colleges.
The Distance Learning Rule states that anyone teaching a high school course off campus must be Mt. state certified; such as college professors, tech and vocational school teachers and out of state teachers (who teach online courses). In other words college professors are not competent enough to teach high school, only those with board certification, which includes elementary level are. So, this affects almost all dual credit programs.
I got up and spoke regarding the importance of Running Start. I was politely thanked and told by the chairperson that the issue was not dual credit but only distance learning. I must admit I felt foolish, like a combination of Chicken Little and Don Quixote. I thought I didn’t have my facts straight-I hadn’t done my homework. But then, I was followed by these speakers: Brian Patrick, superintendent of Townsend Public Schools; Ryan Schrenk, Director of Distance Learning, MSU Great Falls; Judy Hay, Assistant Dean, Student Services MSU Great Falls; Mary Sheehy Moe, Dean, MSU Great Falls; Dan Zorn, Assistant Superintendent Kalispell Public Schools; Barbara Mansfield, Counselor Whitefish High School; Larry Crowder, Superintendent Culbertson Public Schools; Les Meyer, Principal Fairfield High School and Cindy Luoma, High School Counselor, Fairfield High School. All of these people felt the distance learning rule and the dual credit programs were very closely intertwined.
They spoke eloquently and passionately with great concern over programs that they felt were in jeopardy. Programs threatened included online courses and any affiliated with colleges and tech schools.
After these speakers only one person spoke in favor for the proposal. Mr. Eric Feaver, president of the teachers union. He spoke quite forcefully about the need for anyone teaching a high school student to be Montana board certified, including college professors and those teaching online courses from out of state. He was fervent in letting the board know that the union wanted this proposal passed.
Then the most disturbing comments were made by State Board Member John Fuller. In answer to concerns brought up by all the speakers in favor of the dual credit programs he said Those of you who have young children, elementary, junior high, and high school students please act before their choices are gone, as well as those of you sick on how your taxes are spent and wasted. I do not know who will be on the 22 member task force, but the following are the email addresses of all the state board members and its affiliates. Let them know that YOU CARE about your child’s choices, where and how your taxes are spent, that your sons and daughters do go onto a successful college career and that they do need the added edge both financially and academically that these programs give.
Steve Meloy, executive director: smeloy@montana.edu
Patty Myers, chairperson: Patty_myers@gsps.k12.mt.us
Angela McLean, vice chairperson: amclean89@hotmail.com
Dr. Kirk Miller: millerk@havre.k12.mt.us
John Fuller: fullerj@sd5.k12.mt.us
Storrs bishop: sbwillow@3rivers.net
Cal Gilbert: cal_gilbert@gfps.k12.mt.us
Sharon Carroll: scarroll@midrivers.com
Linda McCulloch, Office of Public Instruction superintendent: OPISupt@mt.gov
Governor Brian Schweitzer can be reached at governor.mt.gov
Thank you
Patricia Peebles
Kalispell