Save the Basin Commission

As so often in the last few decades, the Flathead Basin is in imminent danger. But this time, the threat to Montana’s crown jewel is coming not from mining interests north of the border. It is coming from the state government itself, which is charging forward with a plan to marginalize the Flathead Basin Commission and its excellent executive director, Caryn Miske.

John Tubbs, director of the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, recently announced his intention of zeroing out the entire staff budget of the Basin Commission. The official reason is that the budget impasse between Democrats and Republicans is now forcing agencies to cut 10 percent. But that doesn’t pass the smell test. Within the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, only the Flathead Basin Commission is being targeted for a cut exceeding 70 percent — even though it constitutes just two-tenths of 1 percent of the department’s total budget. In fact, the proposed cut would actually result in Montana losing funding, because every year, Executive Director Miske has raised well over half a million dollars in grant funds to bolster protection of the Flathead from the menace of aquatic invasive species.

If approved by the Governor, these cuts would in fact destroy Montana’s best and most accomplished watershed organization in our urgent fight to prevent the introduction of non-native quagga and zebra mussels. The cuts would also come down at a critical moment, with invasive mussels now confirmed in Tiber Reservoir, less than a three-hour drive from Marias Pass.

Established by the Legislature in 1983 as an independent commission, the Flathead Basin Commission has earned bipartisan support ever since, effectively and efficiently carrying out its mission as a guardian of the Flathead. In protecting the Basin from coal mines, and more recently in preventing the introduction of exotic mussels, the Commission has proven its unique ability to solve complex, multi-jurisdictional problems.

For the past decade, the Flathead Basin Commission has been a state leader in protecting against aquatic invasive species. It has pushed successfully for tougher standards and more action, often overcoming the surprising resistance and obstruction from key figures in state agencies. The Commission initiated K-9 inspection teams, helped establish check stations on the Blackfeet Reservation (where mussel-fouled boats were almost immediately intercepted), worked closely with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, built a multi-agency regional work-group on aquatic invasive species, incorporated invasive-species funding into federal legislation, and advocated near and far for stricter measures to keep non-native mussels out of the Flathead.

If what the Commission advocated had been implemented statewide, it is possible that we would have avoided the disastrous introduction of non-native mussels into the upper Missouri last year. But for years, the state failed to prevent the launching of out-of-state boats without prior inspection, and left our eastern borders almost entirely unguarded (indeed our eastern gates were unguarded even for much of this year).

On April 29, the Legislature passed HB 622, one of the session’s few major invasive-species bills. For the Flathead Basin, the most important part of HB 622 is Section 7, which mandates a Flathead pilot program of “no launch without prior inspection,” administered by the Commission in coordination with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Section 7 contains specific provisions that would give the Flathead the strongest regional aquatic-invasive-species program in the state. The Flathead Basin Commission, the tribes, and the Bullock administration all testified in support of HB 622. On May 7, the governor signed it into law. Basin Commission members then traveled to Helena to meet with Fish, Wildlife and Parks to ensure that Section 7 would work smoothly as a complement to the newly expanded but still emerging statewide efforts. We were assured by both Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation that everything would be moved forward as quickly as possible.

But now, the proposed elimination of Basin Commission staff would abort the Flathead Pilot Program. If approved by Gov. Bullock, it would leave our waters far more vulnerable to permanent destruction by aquatic invasive species.

We must raise our voices for a wiser course of action. Please write to the governor (governor@mt.gov), and Nancy Ballance, chair of the Legislative Finance Committee (nancyballance@aol.com and leadams@mt.gov). Urge full and speedy implementation of all of our direly needed aquatic-invasive-species laws, and a fair and equal distribution of budget cuts with continued funding for the staff of the Flathead Basin Commission.

Smith, of Charlo, is former chair and three-term governor-appointed citizen member of the Flathead Basin Commission and a founding member of the Montana Invasive Species Advisory Council.