News

Tell your legislator and House and Senate Natural Resource Committee members to SUPPORT HB411, which funds the state’s Aquatic Invasive Species program

by Bill Pfeiffer

On Friday, February 22, at 3pm in Room 172 the House Natural Resources Committee of the Montana Legislature will be hearing a bill sponsored by Rep Willis Curdy (D-Missoula).  We have reviewed and commented on this critical appropriations bill extensively.  We are advocating that the $13 million it appropriates to prevent and contain the spread of aquatic invasive species in our rivers and lakes be funded by the diverse community of stakeholders that are affected by the negative impacts of AIS. Last month the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation estimated that invasive mussels alone could cost Montana $234 million annual mitigation and lost-revenue costs.  The three economic sectors that are at greatest risk are recreation, agriculture, and water infrastructure such as hydroelectric facilities.  At a minimum, the bill should require funding from the following sources:

  • Anglers have and should continue to help pay for Montana’s AIS program. In the previous funding bill, resident and non-resident anglers contributed through an AIS license that was required to hold a fishing license in the state. That provision should remain in the new funding bill.
  • Because boats are both a vector for transporting AIS and are at risk of damage because of some AIS, like invasive mussels, boaters should also contribute to this fund. The current version of the bill includes a range of fees assessed on boats depending on whether they are motorized or non-motorized and size. We support this source of funding.
  • Hydroelectric facilities face some of the greatest financial risks with the potential spread of AIS, especially invasive mussels. Hydroelectric facilities contributed to the 2017 version of the AIS funding mechanism and should remain in any bill the 2019 Legislature considers. DNRC’s study showed that infrastructure could suffer an estimated $47 million/year impact from invasive mussels.
  • According to the same DNRC study, “the direct impact of invasive mussels to agriculture is estimated to be $5.75 per acre foot or $61 million per year.” Investing in the prevention of this risk should be a priority for the agricultural economy and community in Montana.

Tell Legislators that HB411 is critical to containing and preventing the spread of AIS in Montana and ensuring the future health of our fisheries, agriculture, hydropower, property values, recreation, and way of life.  Fully funding the AIS program should include investment from anglers, boaters, hydroelectric facilities, and the agricultural community, at the least. 

Contact members of the House and Senate Natural Resources Committees about this bill now and ask for their support.  You can leave a message for legislators by clicking here or at the Capitol switchboard: 444-4800.   If you use the website link, you will need to fill out the form with general contact information, select the appropriate committee, select “for” HB411, and write a short comment.  The contact form will only allow you to send the message to one recipient at a time.  Please copy your message and submit it to both the House and Senate Natural Resources Committees.

If you have questions or thoughts on this or any other legislative priority, please feel free to contact MTU’s full-time Government Affairs Coordinator, Clayton Elliot, [email protected]

News

MTU Gov’t Affairs Director, Clayton Elliott, speaks out on AIS funding

by Bill Pfeiffer

The Montana State Legislature is grappling with funding mechanisms to support aquatic invasive species prevention.  Anglers should be eager to pay their share in fighting AIS. Clayton Elliott states,“Outdoor recreation and the angling community is a significant industry in Montana that stands to lose a lot, just like agriculture, our municipalities, etc, etc. The difference is we’re the only ones being asked to pay. The burden can’t just be on anglers and recreationalists.”

Check out MTPR’s coverage of AIS funding.

News

Elliott joins MTU ahead of legislature

by Bill Pfeiffer

In October, MTU welcomed Clayton Elliott on board as the organization’s new Government Affairs Coordinator. After growing up rambling the hills and rivers of the eastern edges of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Clayton attended the University of Wyoming majoring in Economics and Environmental Studies. Following the completion of his graduate degree in Natural Resource Policy at the University of Michigan, he moved back to his native home in the American West. During his professional career in Montana, he has worked for a number of conservation and non-profit organizations in Montana focusing on public lands and clean water advocacy in the state and federal government. In his free time, Clayton is an avid fly fisherman and bird hunter across western Montana.

Elliott’s start this month coincided with saying goodbye to Brian Ohs who left MTU to join the legislative staff at the Montana Stockgrowers Association based in Helena. We greatly appreciate the commitment that Brian brought to MTU and look forward to continuing to work with him during the session!

Looking ahead to the upcoming session, MTU anticipates heavy lifting to safeguard the laws, programs, and funding that protect our coldwater fisheries and the outdoor heritage they sustain. At the top of the list, we will once again double down to ensure adequate funding for mitigating the potentially catastrophic implications of aquatic invasive species infestations in our waterways. While the last legislature created specific policy structures to address these concerns, the funding terminates at the end of the biennium, meaning lawmakers will have to explore solutions for maintaining millions of dollars in funding. Additionally, we once again anticipate robust discussions over investments in important fisheries and habitat conservation programs at the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks like the Future Fisheries Improvement Program and Habitat Montana. And, last but not least, we know that the mining companies and their foreign backers will once again be committed to weakening protections for our streams and rivers by gutting our water quality and mine permitting laws in the name of profit. We look forward to keeping you engaged and informed throughout the session so you can be sure to ask your legislators to stand up for our coldwater fisheries.