Public News Service

As part of its Collaborative Wildfire Risk Reduction Program, the U.S. Forest Service has made $8 million available to help prevent fires in Montana by reducing hazardous fuels. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

$8 million to be used to reduce Montana wildfire fuel

The U.S. Forest Service is spending $8 million to reduce wildfire risk in Montana, part of a larger federal program funded by the Inflation Reduction …

Conservation groups in Montana have sued the U.S. Forest Service for a logging project in an area of the Bitterroot National Forest that's been home to a successful wolverine den, according to Alliance for the Wild Rockies. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

Montana suit: Logging project threatens critical habitat

Two conservation groups have filed suit in a federal court in Montana to stop a U.S. Forest Service logging project that would clear cut large stands …

Supporters of the Inflation Reduction Act say clean energy installations bring jobs to local economies. Montana is eyeing the potential in wind energy infrastructure. (Adobe Stock)

IRA funds clean energy jobs in Montana, critics skeptical of cost

Environmental advocates are heralding added jobs and ecosystem protections funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, which just marked its two-year …

A lawsuit prompting a decision in federal court ordering a re-evaluation of the status of the Arctic grayling was brought by the Center for Biological Diversity, Western Watersheds Project and Butte resident Pat Munday, with representation by Earthjustice. (Adobe Stock)

Montana federal judge rules for threatened Arctic grayling

A federal district court judge in Missoula has ruled the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must reconsider whether to list Montana's Arctic grayling …

Wildfires in the western United States have burned more than 1.3 million acres of vegetation so far in 2024. Officials warn flooding is a serious danger in the burn scars left by the blazes after the flames are out. (Adobe Stock)

Dangerous floods loom following Montana wildfires

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has issued flood alerts following wildfires burning huge swaths of the state. Floods …

An outdoor coalition is fighting plans for a $4 billion copper mine on land near Sheep Creek, which feeds the iconic Smith River. (Miranda Hernandez)

Coalition: Mine threatens Montana's iconic Smith River

Nearly 10,000 Montanans have petitioned the U.S. Forest Service to prevent mining activity in the iconic Smith River watershed. The Smith is known …

Montana was chosen to host the $41 million Headwaters Hub partly because its rural geography makes it ideal for studying and creating jobs in photonics. (Adobe Stock)

Headwaters tech hub brings $41 million to MT

Montana has been granted $41 million to create a training and education program for new jobs in the high-tech sector. The Headwaters Hub is part of …

The Northern Goshawk is dependent on old-growth forests and is especially good at getting into tight spaces. A federal judge in Montana has blocked a logging project that threatened the birds' habitat. (Adobe Stock)

Federal judge blocks logging project, protects iconic hawk

A federal court judge in Montana blocked a large project which would have logged or clear-cut more than 10,000 acres of old-growth forest and threaten…

Wild animals can be aggressive if people don't respect their space, according to the National Park Service. (Adobe Stock)

After 83-year-old gored in Yellowstone, wildlife experts warn bison 'not in a zoo'

Wildlife experts are warning people not to get too close to the animals in national parks as the summer travel season heats up. Overeager tourists …

The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness is popular with hikers in Montana. (Adobe Stock)

Judge set to rule on massive MT logging project

A federal judge in Montana is holding a hearing next Tuesday on a motion for an injunction against the Pintler Face logging and burning project on Bea…

Many of the rules governing oil and gas operations on Montana public lands had not been updated in a century. (Adobe Stock)

MT groups fight to preserve new BLM oil and gas rule

Montana groups are working to save a new Bureau of Land Management rule about oil and gas leasing on public lands. They have hand-delivered a …

Energy derived by coal in Montana overtook hydropower last year as the result of Western drought. Hydropower had been the recent leader. (Adobe Stock)

Rural MT emissions up in the air

While only 18% of Americans live in rural areas, they produce more than a third of the nation's emissions. Nearly half of Montana's population is …

New federal rules will govern 245 million acres of public lands in the United States, including in Montana. (Adobe Stock)

New oil and gas mining rules benefit wilderness, rankle companies

The Bureau of Land Management has released a pair of rules that will change how the agency manages 245 million acres of public land. The rules …

Montana has more than 3 million acres of inaccessible public lands, tops in the West, according to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. (Adobe Stock)

SB 442 veto override ballots due back this week

Ballots are due back in the Montana Secretary of State's office later this week, as lawmakers decide whether to override Gov. Greg Gianforte's veto …

New research at the University of Montana recommends letting smaller wildfires burn where possible, heading off potentially more dangerous blazes later. (Adobe Stock)

MT researchers: Let smaller wildfires burn

A new study in the journal Nature Communications by Montana researchers said suppressing small wildfires is leading to larger, more intense and …

Tiny particulate matter in wildfire smoke can lodge deep in the lungs and cause serious respiratory problems. (Adobe Stock)

MT earmarks millions to cooperate on reducing wildfire threat

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has awarded $3.1 million for 13 projects to reduce wildfire risk to communities and impro…

The Lolo National Forest's geographic location is seen as critical for connecting wildlife habitats. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife habitat, connectivity, key to Lolo National Forest management plan

Today is the deadline for public comment on Montana's Lolo National Forest management plan. Advocates say the input will shape how the land is used …

Montana land proposed for solar power

The Bureau of Land Management has proposed expanding the public land available for solar power production in 11 states, including Montana. The BLM's …

Environmental advocates contend a logging project bordering Montana's Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness Area threatens habitat for the lynx, which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental advocates sue over MT logging project

The Alliance for the Wild Rockies has sued the U.S. Forest Service over a logging project in southwestern Montana. The group claims the agency …

Gov. Greg Gianforte vetoed SB 442 after the Montana Legislature adjourned, which could affect veterans' programs and other services. Critics of the veto now want lawmakers to override it. (Adobe Stock)

MT military veterans support veto override

A Montana court has denied Gov. Greg Gianforte's attempt to stop the Legislature from having an opportunity to override his veto of a bill that …

Environmental groups recently sued the Montana Department of Environmental Quality over its CAFO water pollution permit. (Adobe Stock)

Farm group calls on changes to USDA environmental funding

A farm advocacy group says large corporate agriculture producers are getting federal environmental safeguard funds that were intended for smaller oper…

About 70% of the 1.6 million-acre Bitterroot National Forest is in northwest Montana. The remainder is in southeast Idaho. (Adobe Stock)

Conservation groups sue to stop Forest Service Mud Creek project

Montana environmental groups have filed suit against the U.S. Forest Service to stop a large logging project in the Bitterroot National Forest…

Climate stressors such as heat and drought are changing America's forests at a rapid rate. The National Wildlife Federation supports a policy proposed by the Biden administration to protect and nurture habitat in old-growth forests. (Adobe Stock)

Plan to preserve MT's old-growth forests a 'good first step'

A group of conservation, sporting and land-stewardship organizations calls the U.S. Forest Service's move to conserve old-growth forests a "good …

Urban Community Forestry Grants seek to improve air quality and wildlife habitat in Montana's disadvantaged urban areas. (Adobe Stock)

MT invests in tree canopies in underserved communities

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is investing $400,000 in grant projects to improve the tree canopy in Montana's urban are…

Montana consistently reports one of the highest voter turnout rates in the nation, and Montana Conservation Voters is trying to make sure it stays that way, with on-the-ground organizers across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Montana Conservation Voters invests in democratic participation

Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund is upping its education efforts, adding field offices around the state and putting boots on the ground…

Many of Montana's county access roads to public lands are shared by hunters and local residents. <br />(Adobe Stock)

Counties sue over vetoed outdoor funding bill

A District Court judge has heard oral arguments in a lawsuit over a vetoed Montana funding bill. The measure would have changed the way the state's …

Montana is home to more than 30 million acres of public state and federal lands, nearly one-third of the state. (Adobe Stock)

MT wilderness advocates question motives of 'Conservation Act'

Wildlife advocates are pushing back on a bill in Congress which would remove federal wilderness protections from some Montana land. There are …

The Lincoln Prosperity Proposal would add wilderness area while at the same time opening up more recreational opportunities for motorized-vehicle enthusiasts, bikers and hikers. (Lincoln Prosperity Proposal)

Small Montana town carves out prosperity plan amid public lands

Residents of the Montana town of Lincoln are working to create a new economic development plan adding recreational opportunities and wilderness…

The State of Montana works to reduce the threat of climate-induced avalanches on over 4,000 miles of trail across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Climate change to cost MT jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars

A new scientific report from a wildlife conservation group details the potential impacts of climate change on Montana jobs and the environment…

Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of domestic resources, such as natural gas, nuclear power, biomass and renewable power such as solar and wind, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. (Adobe Stock)

MT part of $1 billion hydrogen hub

The Biden administration has announced investments in a hydrogen hub to produce energy in the Northwest, including in Montana. Clean-energy …

More than 600 lakes and ponds comprise about 107,000 surface acres in Yellowstone, according to the National Park Service. (Adobe Stock)

Outdoor advocates file suit to stop sewage facility near Yellowstone

The Bozeman-based group Upper Missouri Waterkeeper and its members have filed a complaint in District Court to stop the operation of a new wastewater …

Potential Operational Delineations combine local fire knowledge with advanced spatial analytics to help managers develop a common understanding of risks, management opportunities and desired outcomes to determine fire management objectives, according to the U.S. Forest Service. (Adobe Stock)

Scientists use AI to 'predict' fire behavior

Fire scientists are combining traditional methods with artificial intelligence to fight fires in Montana, and across the Southwest using a new tool …

Wilderness areas comprise roughly 3.5 million acres of Montana's landmass, or almost 4%. (Adobe Stock)

MT seeks public input on environmental policy

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality wants to know what people think the state's next Environmental Policy Act should include. Critics …

The development and presence of roads can reduce landscape permeability, lead to habitat loss and increase habitat fragmentation. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates say even small development damages sensitive MT ecology

New research by ecology experts in Montana showed even small amounts of development can cause a widespread decline in stream biodiversity. It does …

Montana has more than 30 million acres of state and federal lands, nearly one third of the state. Conservation advocates are holding a photo contest featuring people and their dogs to celebrate being outdoors. (Adobe Stock)

MT advocates promote conservation through photo competition

This is the last weekend to get involved in a photo competition designed to encourage Montanans to explore the wilderness with their pets. There …

The U.S. Department of the Interior currently manages 11,000 bison in herds across 4.6 million acres of public lands in a dozen states. (Adobe Stock)

Washington Invests $5 Million in Tribal Land Bison Restoration

The U.S. Interior Department has invested $5 million in reintroducing bison to Native American Tribal lands across the country. Montana's iconic …

EPA Upholds MT Farmers' 'Right to Repair'

The Environmental Protection Agency has upheld Montana farmers' right to repair their own equipment, and says doing so does not violate the Clean Air …

Manure from CAFOs contains more than 150 pathogens that have the potential to contaminate water supplies, while fumes and particulate matter elevate rates of asthma, lung disease and bronchitis<br />among farm workers and people living nearby, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Call for Tougher CAFO Rules in MT

Rural advocates are calling on the state to tighten the rules governing Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations - or CAFOs - in rural Montana…

The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act is projected to help grow Montana's $7.1 billion outdoor recreation economy, protect tens of thousands of acres of wilderness, and establish two recreation areas. (Adobe Stock)

Backers: Blackfoot Act Would Add $2.6B to Montana's Recreation Economy

Lawmakers in Washington held their first Senate hearing on the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act. Authored by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., it would …

Sales of legalized marijuana in Montana generated an estimated $2.96 million in tax revenue in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

MT Conservation Advocates Rally Support for Veto Lawsuit

In its just-released 2023 legislative scorecard, the group Montana Conservation Voters is critical of Gov. Greg Gianforte's veto of a popular …

Missoula-based Mountain Line has grown to provide an average of 1.5 million rides per year, up 70% from 2014. The transportation company is making major enhancements to its service with federal infrastructure investments. (Mountain Line)

A Year In, IRA Investments Bolster MT Homes, Businesses

It has been a year since President Joe Biden signed the $770 billion Inflation Reduction Act. In Montana, it has meant new jobs in agriculture…

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks estimates the state's elk population at 175,000 animals, but is aiming for a population closer to 92,000. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife Advocates React to MT Elk Management Plan

After months of public input and work by wildlife officials, Montana is set to release a new Elk Management Plan this fall. Montana's last Elk …

The U.S. Forest Service system in Montana contains about 32,000 miles of roads, according to a report from the Montana Legislature. (Adobe Stock)

Court Orders Forest Service to Reconsider Closed Logging Roads

A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Forest Service to look again at the effectiveness of road closures in Montana's Helena-Lewis and Clark National …

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks is considering imposing

Severe Montana Drought Prompts Unprecedented Fishing Restrictions

Drought and soaring temperatures have prompted state wildlife officials to restrict fishing on some of the state's most popular lakes and streams…

As grizzly bear populations continue to expand across Montana, the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks is engaging local communities within likely grizzly range to share information on bear safety as part of its

MT Residents Learn How to Avoid Grizzly Encounters

A recent grizzly bear mauling in the state has drawn attention to interactions between the animals and humans. As the urban wildland interface …

Montana encompasses 145,552 square miles of land. The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department estimates about half, or 74,000 square miles, is suitable mountain lion habitat. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife Advocates Push Back on MT Higher Mountain Lion Kill

Big-game advocates are pushing back against a move by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission to increase the number of mountain lions that can be le…

Flathead Lake's high water quality results from its watershed being mainly national park, wilderness and managed forest lands combined with having a relatively low human population. (Adobe Stock)

Drought Tightens Grip on Montana Waterways

As crippling heat sears Western states, drought is creeping into Montana where Indigenous tribes are seeing historic waterways at record lows…

The Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem, one of six designated recovery zones for grizzly bears in the lower 48 states, is located in northwestern Montana and northeastern Idaho. (Adobe Stock)

Judge Halts Logging Road to Benefit Grizzly Restoration

CORRECTION: The name of the logging project has been corrected, as well as the link to the court document. (1:40 p.m. MST, June 28, 2023) A federal …

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 18, 2024

2024Talks - September 18, 2024

The Yonder Report - September 19, 2024

MT: Environment