A few weeks ago Bruce asked me to travel to Washington DC as a representative of Montana TU and as a business owner whose livelihood depends on water and snow.  I flew to Washington Monday July 20.  It was a great few days!  The trip was part of the National Wildlife Federation-sponsored sportsmen fly-in to meet with Senator Tester and Senator Baucus’ staff to encourage good climate change legislation now being formed in the Senate. 

 

TU representatives from New Mexico, California, Arkansas, and Montana, as well as representatives from Pheasants Forever, the Ozark Fly Fishers in Missouri, and the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership flew in.  Ducks Unlimited folks will be there in the next few weeks as well. 

 

Tuesday afternoon was spent at the offices of the National Wildlife Federation coming up to speed on the climate legislation recently passed by the US House of Representatives, with Representative Rehberg voting against it, and the legislation being put together now in the Senate.

 

At the heart of the legislation in both the House and Senate is/will be the Cap and Trade approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  A “Cap” will be set for emissions, and then allowances will be sold by the government to polluters who can then “Trade” them to offset their own emissions.  As part of this process, overall emissions will have to be reduces by certain percentages that will progressively increase through 2050. 

 

For us as fishermen/sportsmen and for Tourism and Agriculture, the top two economies in Montana that rely on our natural resources, the important part is the percentage of the dollars received from the initial sale of the allowances that will be distributed to the 50 states for Natural Resources “Adaptive Strategies” for fish and wildlife.  These strategies include habitat restoration, habitat/easement purchases, improving stream flows through improving the efficiency of agricultural use of water, and other programs that MT TU is already involved with. 

 

The National Wildlife Federation, in cooperation with TU and other organizations, has published a great book describing the effects of climate change on hunters and fisherman.  It is at www.seasonsend.org .  It is interesting stuff and I would encourage everyone to take a look.

 

As our Senators work on the climate change bill in the next month it will be important that they hear from sportsmen and those whose livelihoods depend on Montana’s natural resources.  I’ll get you the contact information for our senators as we move along.  Feel free to call me with any questions.

 

I hope everyone’s summer is going well.

 

Thanks,

 

Chris