Environment

The Roadless Rule is back on the chopping block. And what happens next could have really big implications for Montana, the region, and the country – for grizzlies, for other endangered species, and for entire ecosystems. What do we lose, or gain, when our bedrock environmental regulations go away, along with public input on how it all happens?

Trout Unlimited highlighted five towns across the country dedicated to improving water quality. At the top of their list was a small, southwestern Montana town - Philipsburg

About a third of Montana is public land. A new survey by the University of Montana’s Crown of the Continent and Greater Yellowstone Initiative suggests most Montanans want to keep it that way. Eighty-five percent of Montanans polled said they would support a ban on the sale or transfer of public land.

From the slopes of Whitefish, researchers are using ski resorts to gather valuable data – and seeds, that could help restore forests. In some regions of Montana, over 90 percent of whitebark pines have died.

The U.S. Forest Service wants to reserve timber harvests from three national forests in Montana for processing at local lumber mills. It’s relying on an 80-year-old law to do so. Montana Free Press environmental reporter Amanda Eggert has been following the plan for a “sustained yield” of timber from three national forests in Montana and joined MTPR’s Austin Amestoy with more.

The Trump administration plans to drastically restructure the U.S. Forest Service. The agency manages millions of acres across more than 150 national forests. MTPR's Sheri Quinn spoke with Rob Chaney, author and reporter at Mountain Journal, about what the reorganization spells for Montana and wildfire management.

Mining company executives interested in gold near Lincoln met with locals this week to discuss their exploration plans. Australian mining company, Sentinel Metals, has applied for a permit to drill 21 holes on private land just east of Lincoln, the first step in determining if there is enough gold to build a mine.

Environmental groups are challenging the federal approval of a mining exploration project near Libby. The groups have concerns over the potential impacts to the surrounding Cabinet Mountains Wilderness area.

Trout are prized and ubiquitous residents of Montana’s waterways. They’re less commonly found in the classroom – unless you know where to look. In the Bitterroot Valley, some students are getting a hands-on lesson in what it takes to raise rainbow trout.

A small company operating in western Montana has been tasked with supplying the federal government with a critical mineral. The project raises hopes and concerns for locals who have experienced the impacts of mining industries in western Montana.