This week 59 years ago: Anti-pollution plan for Flathead, bear theory, Army award presented

The Flathead Courier, August 17, 1967

Plan Anti-Pollution Fight

Flathead Lake water classification and quality criteria will be in the spotlight again in the near future as Flathead Lakers, Inc. announced intentions to appeal to federal authorities the recently adopted water quality standards of Flathead Lake and other Montana lakes and streams.

Last spring the Lakers joined other groups, including Polson Outdoors Inc., to raise a statewide protest against what they termed downgrading of Treasure State lakes and streams by the Montana Water Pollution Council.

Protests resulted in the Council changing the proposed classification of Flathead Lake from B, D-1 to a new classification — A-Open, D-1. 

At first it appeared local citizens had won the battle over downgrading the water quality. However, since the State Water Pollution Council submitted its final recommendations to the federal government for approval, the Flathead Lakers have learned there are apparent loopholes which they say make the A-Open, D-1 classification "as bad as the protested B, D-1 category, and clearly is a lower standard than the former Class A standard under which Flathead Lake was classified."

C. B. McNeil of Polson, legal counsel for Flathead Lakers, Inc., observed that the Water Pollution Council did not furnish copies of the final recommended criteria and classifications to anyone before submitting the data for approval of the Federal Water Pollution Administration.

At the May 16 public meeting in Helena, he recalled, Senator J. A. Turnage of Polson asked that interested parties be furnished with copies of the final standards adopted. Chairman Winton Weydemeyer replied affirmatively.

On June 5, McNeil said, the Montana Water Pollution Council adopted the new standards. On June 13, McNeil said he wrote C. W. Brinck, Council secretary, and Weydemeyer again asking if the Lakers could have copies before they were submitted to federal authorities. On behalf of the Lakers, he offered to provide manpower or expense to help copy the standards. The Council did not reply before submitting the standard to the federal government on June 30.

The copy was finally received July 5 — after it was submitted. This precluded any opportunity for review or comment by anyone other than Pollution Council members, McNeil said.

"The fine print in the recommendations," he said, "leaves the door open to pollution and still maintains the unsatisfactory standards." He said that the wording of the revised criteria is "loose, vague and indefinite ... 

‘Feuding Bear' Theory Advanced

An anonymous Polson resident this week advanced his theory on the cause of the separate grizzly bear attacks which resulted in the deaths of two girls and injury to a boy in Glacier National Park last weekend.

He commented that grizzly bears usually roam a fairly restricted area and felt that although the incidents occurred about 20 miles apart, the bears may have been intruding on each other's "territory"— thus making them unusually upset.

When they encountered people in their "territory," they became more belligerent than usual and attacked.

Army Awards Presented to Man's Father

Awards recognizing outstanding Army Vietnam service of Pfc. Jean B. Incashola, St. Ignatius, were presented to his father, Thomas Incashola, Monday and Tuesday.

The soldier died of encephalitis Nov. 23 in Vietnam. Lt. John B. Brington presented the Army Commendation Medal Monday, on behalf of Col. Howard K. Welsh, commander of the Montana sector, Ft. Missoula.

The citation said the award was made "for exceptionally meritorious service" to the United States.

Tuesday, the father was given the Republic of Vietnam Honor Medal, Second Class. A citation said Pfc. Incashola "displayed an exemplary spirit of devotion to duty, goodwill and close cooperation with the Vietnamese government forces.