Page 22 - Flathead Beacon // 1.8.13

22 | JANUARY 8, 2013
FLATHEADBEACON.COM

OPINION

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LETTERS
than any other Montanan. I’ve always Individual state-based water rights
wondered why Sam isn’t talked about are transferred to the CSKT in the
ONLINE STORIES
much locally as one of the great athletes to proposed compact. The tribe wants more
come out of the state, but here’s to Sam for water for in-stream low on the reservation
being one of the top NFL players to come based on a “robust river” standard, not
FLATHEADBEACON.COM
out of Montana.
on the survival of ish standard. The
DEAD TREES PLAY CRUCIAL Mike Thompson increased in-stream low water will
ROLE IN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS
Bigfork
come from limiting each irrigator to
The U.S. Department of Agriculture 1.4-acre foot of water for each irrigated
is wasting $10 million trying to apply a Family of Exchange MCCULLUM ALSO MADE IT BIG acre, (now you know why the individual
crop-based biomass utilization model to Student Sues IN THE NFL
Whiteish Mountain water rights are important) and from
our rugged and remote national forests! Thank you for the excellent story on water eiciency measures such as lining
While Cool Planet Energy Systems’ Resort for Skier’s a Flathead High School graduate who is canals. Under state law (which would
turning of farm waste into gasoline and Death
making it big in the NFL (Dec. 25 Beacon: no longer apply), transferring the use of
biochar may have merit, it does not apply “The Land of Oz”). He couldn’t have a water from irrigation to in-stream low
well to dead trees on remote public lands.
Whiteish Man Dies better mentor.
requires evaluation of the environmental
In a recent article, Montana State While Driving North of I am sure by now other old timers and economic impacts before a change of
University’s Peter Kolb gets it wrong by from Kalispell have told you about another
calling dead trees “carbon waste.” Dead Kalispell
NFL player who also graduated from use permit can be issued. Taking private
water rights violates both the U.S. and
trees are not corn stalks. They continue Businesspeople of Flathead High School. I would not have Montana Constitutions.
playing a crucial role in maintaining the Year
bothered you with this because I thought The purpose of the federal reserved
forest ecosystems, from providing critical you were only using recent players with water rights compact is to quantify
wildlife habitats to returning carbon and $1 Million Lottery Montana connections, however then I (justify) the amount of water needed to
nutrients to the forest soil. While Kolb noticed Wild Bill Kelly and Jan Stenerud meet the purposes of the reservation. The
points out the economic problems of Ticket Sold in on the list.
thousands of water right abstracts (made
getting dead trees to a biomass facility, he Columbia Falls
Sam McCullum played football for
out to the federal government and the
wrongly implies that ecological concerns Whiteish Stabbing FHS, graduating in 1970. He went on CSKT) in the proposed compact do not
are merely “policy issues” to be overcome.
Victim Dies in Hospital
to play for Montana State University. justify anything because they are not tied
Cool Planet’s website indicates Following his time at MSU, he then played to a purpose of the reservation such as
that, by applying heat to biomass in Montana Gas Prices for both the Minnesota Vikings and the irrigating additional acres of land. When
the absence of oxygen, one-third of the Seattle Seahawks.
the amount of water needed is quantiied
carbon is released into the air, one-third Lowest in U.S.
I read your publication each week and as required, there is enough water in
is bottled up in biofuels, and one-third is it very nice to have local happenings
is sequestered in biochar returned to The Golden Years
reported in such an excellent manner. the Flathead Basin to meet those needs
without taking water from people who
the soil. Cool Planet claims its process is The Year in Photos: Keep up the good work!
grow our food. The Flathead Irrigation
“carbon negative” and implies the more 2013
Larry Kaber Project needs more water, not less.
we drive our cars using its biofuels, the Kalispell
Hungry Horse dam and all
more we are helping cool the planet - Big Sky Brewing Co. other federal dams in Montana have
by essentially burying its plant life as PROPOSED CSKT COMPACT IS water which can be leased for future
biochar.
Sues Anheuser-Busch UNCONSTITUTIONAL
development and certainly can be used
Last November, 41 scientists Over YouTube Videos
The Hell Gate Treaty for the
warned the Environmental Protection Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to fulill Reservation purposes. I started
Plains Bison: the process to lease 100,000 acre feet of
Agency that using trees as biomass Forever Wild or secured the “right to take ish in common water out of Hungry Horse Dam for future
energy is harmful and quite diferent with the citizens of the Territory,” not development with Senate Bill 376 in 2007.
than using farm crop waste. In October, Forever Lost?
a water right; otherwise, a group of The compact contains 90,000 acre feet of
250 scientists told Congress dead trees Montana citizens could get a water right this water. Research models show that 85
in burned forests are “one of the most to protect their favorite place to ish. percent of the time the release of 90,000
ecologically important and biodiverse The Tribes’ right is in common with the acre feet of water from Hungry Horse
habitat types in western conifer forests.”
citizens of the Territory. Of-reservation
Dam would not afect other uses. Dividing LETTERS
How much of the USDA’s $10 million claims do not meet the deinition of a the 90,000 acre feet equally between the Tell us what you think. To submit a letter, please email your submission to
will go to scientists inding forest federal reserved water right that by law State of Montana and CSKT would go a [email protected]. Please
ecosystems are capable of recycling their is restricted to the reservation land. No long way in developing a fair and equitable keep your letter to 300 words or less.
own carbon? How much will go to silence of-reservation water rights have been compact as required by law.
The Flathead Beacon reserves the right
them as massive federal subsidies are previously transferred in a compact or The Montana Legislature has not to edit letters for length, clarity and
created to grind those ecosystems up?
case law.
had the research necessary to properly to prevent libel. Letters must include
Keith Hammer, chair Equal protection under the law the writer’s irst and last name, phone
SwanViewCoalition,Kalispell
is guaranteed in our Constitutional and responsibly review this proposed number and address for veriication
compact, 1,200 pages, and House Bill purposes. Only the name and hometown
Republic by the Montana and U.S. 629, 130 pages, because the Compact of the writer will be printed. To mail a
SAM MCCULLUM DESERVES Constitutions. This means that all the Commission has not required legal, letter, please send to 17 Main Street,
RECOGNITION
laws apply equally to citizens both on and environmental, regulatory, or economic Kalispell, MT 59901.
Great article on Brock Osweiler and of the reservation. Montana manages assessments to reveal the impacts Fax letters to (406) 257-9231.
players in the NFL (Dec. 25 Beacon: “The river lows and administers water rights of this compact on private property
Land of Oz”). As a longtime NFL fan, for the beneits of its citizens and is values, future growth and economic CORRECTIONS
I noticed one key player missing from accountable to the rule of law developed If a Beacon story includes a factual
development. Without impact studies, error, please tell us about it. Call Kellyn
your list of Montanans in the NFL: Sam by the Legislature. Montana cannot turn no legislator in good conscience could Brown at 257-9220; or email to editor@
McCullum. He was a 1970 graduate of over its constitutional and statutory pass a document of this magnitude with latheadbeacon.com; or fax to 257-9231.
Flathead High School who played on the responsibilities to CSKT, a sovereign a $55 million state contribution and the FLATHEADBEACON.COM
Flathead basketball state champion team. nation, with its own constitution and suspicious participation of the federal For daily news, local community pages,
He had a great career at Montana State diferent laws that have no accountability government.
video, multimedia, story archives and
University, then went on to play 10 years to the Montana Legislature or its citizens. Sen. Verdell Jackson lively online conversation, visit our
in the NFL for the Vikings and Seahawks. The Unitary Management Ordinance of Kalispell
website at latheadbeacon.com.
He had 274 receptions for more than the Compact violates the equal protection

4,000 yards and 26 touchdowns. I’m not clauses of the U.S. and Montana
sure, but he may have more NFL TD’s
Constitutions.