The number of large brown and rainbow trout in the upper Madison River has declined below 20-year averages, and fisheries biologists are unsure why. “It’s been good to excellent recruitment for quite a while, but the adults aren’t there,” said…
Tag: montana waterkeeper
Lawsuit Filed Challenging Rollback of MT’s Science-Based Nutrient Criteria
Today Upper Missouri Waterkeeper filed a lawsuit challenging the EPA’s February 2020 approval of a series of “Poison Pill” variance rules that undermine critical nutrient pollution controls for Montana waterways. This lawsuit is the latest action we’ve taken to protect…
Lawsuit Filed Challenging Massive Rollback of Clean Water Protections in Montana
Today we filed a formal notice of intent to sue the Trump EPA for eliminating longstanding Clean Water Act protections for the nation’s waters, including approximately half of all wetlands and potentially millions of miles of streams. The Trump rule…
Is the Proposed Great Falls Cheese Plant a Slaughterhouse in Disguise?
After almost a year without hearing a word about the controversial Madison Food Park Slaughterhouse outside Great Falls, there’s news… A Special Use Permit in Cascade County was filed by Big Sky Cheese, LLC and Madison Food Park, LLC on…
Federal Court Strikes Down Montana’s General Nutrient Variance Rule
A victory for healthy rivers and fishable, swimmable, drinkable water in Montana! The federal district court in Great Falls just issued an order in our long-standing lawsuit, Upper Missouri Waterkeeper v. EPA , holding that Montana’s 17-20 year general variance scheme and…
An Update on All Things Water & Big Sky, MT, Winter 2019
It’s late-winter 2019 and the Gallatin is covered in a snowy mantle, making it easy to forget last summer’s miles long, neon-green algal bloom and the reality that big water issues are looming in Big Sky, MT. Upgrading Wastewater Treatment…
Two Dirty Water Bills Moving In the 2019 Montana Legislature
We’re tracking bad legislation each Montana session that could undermine environmental protections for waterways and communities. Below are summaries of two nasty bills that would weaken key protections for fishable, swimmable, drinkable water in Montana. HB 625: Scrapping Science-Based Water…
The Trump EPA’s Dirty Water Rule Is Here, And It’s Bad News For Montana
Background The Trump EPA has released a proposed rule that will dramatically reduce the scope of waters protected by the Clean Water Act. This proposal is the worst rollback of Clean Water Act protections in history. The proposal redefines what…
Take Action (AGAIN): Tell BLM Southwest Montana Is No Place For Oil & Gas Development!
The BLM is trying to sell off your public lands near the Big Hole & Beaverhead Rivers, AGAIN! The Environmental Assessment (EA) for proposed March 2019 lease sales of public land in Southwest Montana for oil & gas development is now…
Take Action: Tell BLM Southwest Montana Is No Place For Oil & Gas Development
The Environmental Assessment (EA) for proposed December 2018 lease sales of public land in Southwest Montana for oil & gas development is now available for public comment. The public lands proposed for sale this December are exclusively intended for oil…