On Wednesday, those of us who are working to protect the wildlife in southeastern Montana were surprised to learn that the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Commission was planning to vote on an easement agreement that FWP staff attorneys had negotiated with the Tongue River Railroad company, jointly owned by Arch Coal and Burlington Northern Santa Fe, to go through the Miles City Fish Hatchery in eastern Montana.

As FWP informed the Surface Transportation Board (STB) five years ago, the railroad will very likely have an adverse effect on the MCFH. The damages to the fish hatchery will have a direct and lasting effect on efforts to recover populations of pallid sturgeon.

Why were we so surprised?

No Public Notice

There was no public notice that the Commission was considering taking this up at their October 11 meeting. In Montana, our constitution guarantees us the right to be notified of and participate in public agency decisions. Montana citizens have an expectation of transparency and openness from our public agencies. That is part of what makes Montana unique. We have some of the strongest laws in the nation that protect our right to fully participate in our government’s decisions. As was reported ...

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