Lincoln County shoud benefit from Libby Dam sacrifice
Mike Cole | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years, 1 month AGO
Guest Commentary:
Dear Sen. Steve Daines,
We want to bring to your attention and request your support for what we feel is long overdue compensation to Lincoln County and the state of Montana for the construction and operation of the Libby Dam located in Lincoln County, Montana. Libby Dam was the only United States dam authorized by the Columbia River Treaty. The Columbia River Treaty is a 1964 agreement between Canada and the United States on the development and operation of dams in the upper Columbia River basin for power and flood control benefits in both countries. The treaty provided for the sharing with Canada of one half of the downstream U.S. power and flood benefits which ranges from $200 to $400 million per year in compensation.
Canada received this compensation to offset the negative impacts of land loss, water storage, social, economic and environmental impacts, etc., to communities. British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest have received tremendous economic benefits through energy savings and flood control.
We feel it is unfair that Lincoln County or the state of Montana has never received similar compensation. We feel that since Libby Dam was authorized by this same treaty, we should receive similar benefits to what our Canadian neighbors have been receiving as we have sacrificed equally for the same reasons (i.e. the primary benefit of others downstream from us).
Our economy in Lincoln County is continually near the highest unemployment and poverty in Montana. Fair and just compensation from the Libby Dam would greatly help our schools, roads, general operations and infrastructure. We ask for your support in this effort to seek compensation equal to that of our Canadian neighbors. Thank you for support in this important matter.
Mike Cole, Mark Peck and Greg Larson are the commissioners for Lincoln County.
ARTICLES BY MIKE COLE
Lincoln County being hurt by state move
The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners wants to share our dismay with a recent decision by Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the governor’s office to file a violation against Hecla Mining under the “permit prohibition” provision of Montana Metal Mine Act. We support the Act’s provisions which holds mining operators responsible for cleanup and reclamation of their mining operations. However, we believe the state is misapplying the statute in this instance. Montana Code Annotated 82-4-360 states: “a person may not conduct mining or exploration activities in this state if that person or any firm or business association of which that person was a principal or controlling member had a bond forfeited under this part, if the department otherwise received proceeds from a surety to perform reclamation on that person’s behalf, or if the person’s surety completed reclamation on the person’s behalf.”
Commissioners clarify the issues at Libby Shooting Complex
We want to take the opportunity to clarify the issues at the Libby Shooting Complex that have been highlighted in the past few weeks.