Letters to the editor March 21
Grizzly protections
Enos Mills first called for protection of grizzly bears in his 1919 book “The Grizzly,” as he watched them being exterminated for Colorado, Utah, Arizona and California. Not until 1973 would the U.S. pass the Endangered Species Act. In 1975, with less than a thousand grizzlies remaining mostly around Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, the Lower 48 grizzlies were listed as protected under the ESA.
Now the governors of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho want grizzlies delisted from the ESA so they can get back to shooting them. With the Montana Legislature looking untrustworthy while trying to pass more radical laws to shoot and trap wolves, Gov. Greg Gianforte urged the Legislature to cool its jets until they get grizzlies delisted. Then it can pass laws that are more cruel to both wolves and grizzlies.
The most generous estimates say we have increased grizzly numbers in the lower 48 from 2% to 4% of what they were before we humans shot, trapped and poisoned most of them and stole their habitat. Now we want to call that sliver of an increase a full recovery of grizzlies so we can get back to shooting them and stealing more of their habitat. My, aren’t we generous!
Mills concludes “The destiny of the human race is intimately tied up with nature, and for anyone to misunderstand the simple facts which unite us with nature is to be out of harmony with the whole scheme of things.” Until our culture and governments wise up and show some true compassion and generosity to wildlife, grizzlies need the protection of the ESA.
— Keith Hammer, Kalispell
Crypto bill
SB 178, gives the cryptocurrency digital mining industry unlimited rights to all the electrical power they want, anywhere they want, with no restrictions allowed on where they locate (residential or rural). Rates cannot be higher for these vast consumers of power, and noise abatement cannot be legislated beyond what was present prior to their coming.
The industry looks for states with low power costs and little control over this limited (precious) resource, which is exactly the condition the bill seeks to guarantee.
Why are we so willing to give away our electrical power, which is as as precious as our water? What does the state gain? Not jobs. Only higher power rates and pollution. Why did this bill, submitted by Daniel Zolnikov, pass 36/14 and get transmitted to the House? Did they read it before voting? Is nobody aware of the impact of it? Is it being slipped under the radar because of all the emotional bills? Somebody please pay attention!
Please! We’re being made schmucks of by these energy hogs and somebody stands to make a fortune off of us Montanan citizens! Do something!
— Kathryn Britton, Kalispell