SPRING UPDATE
Here’s where we are today:
- 960 Days (and counting) of paused gravel mining and asphalt production on public land designated as Resource Protection 1 in the Seeley Lake Regional Plan.
- 25 Endangered, threatened, and sensitive species spared from mining disturbance, including grizzly bears, bald and golden eagles, trumpeter swans, common loons, great blue herons, and bull trout.
- 53 acres of critical wildlife corridor safeguarded. This native fescue prairie and ponderosa pine parkland, including 1,800 feet of Clearwater River frontage, is where migrating elk and deer travel between summer ranges to the west and the main unit of the Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area.
Thanks to Shawn Huseby, our 2025 Baucus Climate Scholar, PTC has a new logo and updated website design, Protect the Clearwater. Shawn worked with board members to create and integrated communications plan to improve the effectiveness of our outreach.
PTC has stepped up to help other grassroots organizations protect our natural heritage from industrial operations by sharing information about our fight to protect water, wildlife, and communities in Montana. You can learn more about them and sign their petitions:
Gravel Mine Proposed Near Yellowstone National Park
PTC has been accepted to the Montana Adopt-A-Highway Program to do volunteer clean up along Highway 83, just north of Salmon Lake. The first of two annual clean up days is planned for the first half of May. Let us know if you would like to help and look for a call for volunteers when we set the date for May. We estimate the cleanup with take a 2-3 hour commitment.
March 7th marked 11 months since Judge Leslie Halligan heard our arguments in district court to hold the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) accountable for their actions that violate the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), the Montana Public Participation Act, and protections guaranteed under the Montana Constitution.
PTC forges on with the challenge in the Board of Environmental Review (BER) appealing the DEQ process for gravel mine permitting. The BER upheld the decision to approve gravel while ignoring scientific evidence and citizen concerns. The final step in the process is to file a Petition for Judicial Review. All briefs in that case have been submitted, and a hearing date has yet to be scheduled.
Thank you for your support and for taking the time to read this update. Together, we can continue protecting what makes Montana home.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Join us on May 2, 2026; to kick off our first litter pick up event. Protect the Clearwater has adopted a section of Highway 83 from milepost 10 to milepost 12 for litter pick up. This section starts near the Placid Lake turnoff. Please email us at protecttheclearwater@gmail.com if you are going to participate so we know how many people to plan for.
View volunteer information here: Safety Guidelines for Group Leaders & Volunteers.
Missoula Co. Pauses Blackfoot Gravel Pit Zoning
Coverage by NBC Montana stated that the Missoula County Commissioners have paused the zoning review for a proposed gravel operation along the Blackfoot River corridor until the developer provides more detailed project information. The move came after sustained pressure from nearby residents and a grassroots group, Blackfoot River Community, who raised concerns about the lack of clear plans and potential impacts on the river, wildlife habitat, and community safety. Commissioners said they want more specifics on the scale, design, and effects of the proposal before determining whether it complies with county rules, and they have declined to sign the land-use zoning compliance form needed for a future state permit application at this time.
The Pits
Look for a feature story in the spring issue of the Montana Quarterly Magazine on gravel mining in Montana. Thank you to the Montana Quarterly and Laura Lundquist for sharing this story. The article can be found in the documents section on our website
WELCOME SHAWN HUSEBY BAUCUS INSTITUTE CLIMATE SCHOLAR INTERN
Montana native Shawn Huseby has joined PTC as a 2025 Climate Scholar through the Max S. Baucus Institute. He recently graduated from Montana State University with degrees in Marketing and Hispanic Studies and is passionate about combining strategic communication with meaningful environmental work. His background as a hunter and outdoor enthusiast along with his knowledge of the business world will help us to grow community awareness, strengthen our brand, and expand our network of supporters. He supports PTC’s mission of protecting the local waterways and wild landscapes for future generations.
CINNABAR FOUNDATION AWARDS $5,000 GRANT TO PTC
The Cinnabar Foundation board had voted to award a $5,000 Program/Project Grant to fund PTC's ongoing efforts to preserve the Blackfoot and Clearwater Watersheds and Wildlife Corridor. Thank you so much for the continued support of the Cinnabar Foundation.
4TH DISTRICT COURT HEARS PTC MEPA AND CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE
On Monday, April 7th at 1:30, Judge Leslie Halligan heard oral arguments in the case filed by Protect the Clearwater against the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The courtroom seats were full with some folks standing to listen.
Our attorneys argued that the DEQ failed in its’ duty to provide an opportunity for public input, did not take a “hard-look” at evidence to prevent harm to the environment, and that because the mine site is located near the lake and river, and may actually not be a "dry-land" operation at all.
The DEQ argued that they did not have time to release a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for public comment, that animals affected by mining would “go somewhere else”, and that the DEQ can rely on the mining company’s declaration that their operation will not affect ground and surface water.
The story was covered by the:
ELK HERD GRAZING ON WILDLIFE CORRIDOR
Elk herds are an iconic sight in Western Montana, charming residents and attracting tourists and hunters alike. A Greenough resident spotted this herd on February 13, directly across from the Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area and adjacent to a proposed gravel mine at mile marker 3 on Hwy 83. A stone’s throw from the Clearwater River and Elbow Lake, this is one stop on a westerly migration route used by elk, grizzly bears, grey wolves, and lynx.
