Connell takes on wildfires impact on headwaters
Connell takes on wildfires impact on headwaters
23 January 2013
published by www.ravallirepublic.com
USA — Montanas headwaters are being adversely impacted by the growing number of large wildfires burning on federal lands and its time for the state to do something about it, says Rep. Pat Connell, R-Corvallis.
Connell will present a proposed joint resolution to the House Natural Resources Committee Thursday that will urge the state to sue the federal government to recover damages created by its land management and wildfire suppression policies in headwaters areas.
The resolution would also have the state seek a court order that would require federal land management agencies to abide by Montana water law in developing all land management policies.
Connell said Sen. Bradley Hamlett, D-Cascade, will co-sponsor the resolution in the state Senate. Hamlett did not respond to a phone call or email Tuesday.
Connell contends that the large swaths of forested lands that have burned in headwaters areas statewide have changed the way the snowpack melts each year.
Without the forest canopy to protect the snow from direct sunlight, he said, the snow melts earlier in the season, which leaves less water for later in the summer when the states agricultural irrigators need it most.
That change has a damaging impact on Montanas farmers and ranchers, he said.
No one needs more water in the flood season, Connell said. They all need it in late August and September.
Connell said land management agencies like the U.S. Forest Service have not taken that change into account in managing federal lands.
With the current condition of timber stands in many headwater areas, Connell said the agency is reluctant to put firefighters in harms way once wildfires get started.
Vegetative management policies that say lets just let it burn off then you dont have to worry about it are really, really bad for our water, he said.
Connell said he was meeting with Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation director John Tubbs Tuesday to brief him on the proposed resolution.
If the committee agrees Thursday with the resolution, Connell expects it will go before the Montana House next week.
If the resolution passes, he said, it should send a pretty doggone strong statement to the governor and attorney general.
It doesnt mean that they have to do it, but as the story gets out on what how this is impacting the states water resources, the pressure should grow, Connell said. What kind of difference does it make to have five to 10 days of late-season water for the state of Montana? Its huge.
Under the Montana Constitution, water is a state asset from vapor until the time it flows into a navigable river, Connell said.
Its not a partisan issue in this state, he said. We all use water with our whiskey and our cattle.
Bitterroot National Forest officials said Tuesday they did not have a comment on the proposed resolution.
