MAX'S 30-YEAR CRUSADE
The North Fork of the Flathead: The Gem of the Continent
Montana's senior Senator now pushing a bill to permanently protect this special area from mining.By U.S. Senator Max Baucus, Guest Writer, 3-09-10
U.S. Senator Max Baucus
Montana is home to some of the most gorgeous landscapes in the world. From the plains of the east, to the mountains of the west, we are incredibly blessed to be able to call it home. And there is one area that holds a special place for me: the North Fork.
One of the best parts of my year is when the weather starts to turn warm and I can get away for a weekend to Glacier or the surrounding areas. I love looking at the deep blue of Lake McDonald or the crystal clear water of the North Fork. I love staring up at the soaring peaks, and experiencing the awe when you hear names like Jackson and Stimson. I love the wildlife and the ruggedness.
It’s often very hard to explain to my colleagues in the U.S. Senate who are from eastern states how truly magnificent our state is.
That is why I was so proud to introduce legislation that would prevent any future mining or oil and gas development in one of the most spectacular parts of this region: the North Fork of the Flathead.
Protecting the North Fork of the Flathead has been a crusade not only for me, but for hundreds of others for many years. I can remember more than 30 years ago starting to work to protect this special area. I can remember holding dozens of meetings, including going up to Canada, and organizing with different groups on how best to make sure this pristine region can stay that way for generations.
Last summer, Senator Jon Tester and I brought Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to the North Fork so he could see firsthand how special it is. There, we encouraged him to do everything he could to work with the Canadian Government to make sure mining operations north of the border wouldn’t destroy the wildlife and watersheds south of the border.
Now, after more than 30 years of work, we are closer than ever to make sure this area will be protected forever. Last month, Governor Schweitzer worked hand in glove with British Columbia Premier Campbell to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that in essence stated the Canadians would not mine or pursue oil and gas development on their side of the border.
This was a huge momentum boost in the effort to keep the North Fork protected. After the Memorandum was signed, Senator Tester and I began getting to work on legislation that would prevent any new mining or oil or gas leases on federal lands our side of the border. Since more than 90 percent of the land in this area is federal, it takes Congressional approval to prevent any new leasing.
Senator Tester and I introduced this legislation on March 4, so while we are early in the process, I am confident we are going to get it done. Once this legislation is signed into law, there will be no more leases issued for this area.
Now, while this is an important step, I realize that there is more to do. We must continue to work together to find ways to retire existing leases. This is very similar to the effort I worked on to protect the Rocky Mountain Front. First, we prevented any new leases, then we got to work on existing leases.
There are many possibilities on how to retire existing leases, and I am committed to working with folks on the ground to get it done. For thirty years it has been these type of stalwart advocates who have helped advance the ball as much as we have.
The North Fork is one of the most spectacular places on earth. Anyone who visits there can’t help but be awestruck by its beauty, and most remember it for their entire lives. I want our children and our grandchildren to be able to create these same memories and enjoy these same experiences.
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for those who aren't familiar with it, here is my map of the North Fork, its watershed, and the mine that was proposed: http://bit.ly/Z75uy
Here in Montana, Baucus trys to act like he is a true Montanan. Yet a true Montanan would never vote to ruin the inherent freedom of the individual. By not standing up to Obama and the Marxist agenda, Max Baucus is killing small business and the future of our children.
How is he killing our future?
THE MAX BAUCUS HEALTHCARE PORTA-POTTY BILL, festering away with disease and stink and bile, Baucus’ virulent tax bacteria waiting to crawl out of his healthcare Porta-Potty sewer hole, up into our most vulnerable parts.
MAX BAUCUS and fellow Montana Socialist JON TESTER are screwing the voters over with their healthcare fiasco, and now the voters are supposed to forget all about their healthcare vote against Montana kids and focus on other business, like we are too stupid to see Baucus’ real agenda, like we will divert our attention from the real problem—Max Baucus—and this will save his sold-out soul from defeat in the next election.
Yeah, MAX, you sold out our kids, and Montanans are so stupid they will now divert their senses from the stinking healthcare Porta-Potty you are tipping over in the laps of our children’s future.
Metaphorically, it is as though you are sticking a hunting knife in our backs and telling us to ignore it and go back to work, like we won’t feel anything is wrong as you drain our blood away.
You think you can get reelected in the next election?
Like we are supposed to forget about the fatal stab you are giving our children’s future?
MAX SOCIALIST BAUCUS, WE ARE GOING TO VOTE YOU OUT OF OFFICE.
We are going to put YOU and the idiots who work for you out of work and send you straight to the unemployment lines where you are sending our children. We are going to take YOUR PAYCHECKS away because we don’t want to give you our tax money to stab us in the back and dump your bait and switch bile on our kids anymore.
We’ll look the other way and forget about the Porta-Potty mess you are dumping all over us, the knife you are sticking in our backs. You bet.
Max the Socialist, you are taking our money NOW to pay a debt for things you stole long ago. You want my kids’ money to fund a system that does not work. This is the old way of business in Washington, but when it comes to transforming our country into your socialist utopia, this old way does not work.
You are reforming nothing with your “healthcare reform.” You are stealing our money to pay for your crap legislation. You aren’t from Montana. You sold us out. You are big sky garbage.
We are on to you and we will not forget.
Here in Montana, you are Big Sky Scum