Quarterly Meeting Minutes

November 17, 2009

Moccasin Room of the Yogo Inn, Lewistown, Mt.

Meadowlark Country Club: The Country Club is looking at removing 1,500 ft. of old car bodies along the riverbank a long on of the greens. The whole project will encompass about 3,000 ft. of riverbank. John Chase also had pictures of the project area that were shared with the council. The head of the Country Club is an environmental engineer and has been working with Joe Christianson from BLM on a PPL Montana grant to fund the project.

CREP Update: The 75% tree success rate was discussed and it was also discussed that PPL has set aside some funding to help riparian areas. CP22 and CP29 were discussed and it was thought that there should be a reward for people who keep their trees harrowed, watered and kept up and that they should either get more money or points. The Granger Ranch is a wetland area of approximately 500 acres and the have had a 45% tree success rate. The tour of the Granger Ranch was postponed as Jeff Laslo and Ron Hazelwood would be unable to make it. But various council members could meet with Bruce Nelson in Bozeman on Monday November 23rd. The meeting and tour will be rescheduled for after the holidays.

Middle Reach:

Monument Riparian Action Plan update: Cottonwood Workshop will be held December 1-2 at the Great Falls Civic Center in the Missouri Room. This focusing on ways to flood the river to get spring flows up to help cottonwood trees grow and thrive. It will also be looking GPSing trees. USGS was mapping on all cottonwood stands from the confluence to Great Falls and BLM said there are approximately 6,000 cottonwood trees along the Missouri River.

BLM RAC Update: At the RAC meeting in September 2 major changes were made the group changed the work plan and also added weeds and bison as action items. The committee did not make recommendations at that meeting but Ron Portner was to write up a recommendation. Preliminary reports are that the recommendation will not be supported. The next RAC meeting will be in Lewistown January 12-13 and that there is a meeting in Malta with Barron Crawford on the bison January November 18th.

Resolution: Dana read the resolution from Big Sandy CD in support of the BLM’s Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument Resource Management Plan. Buzz moved to support the resolution and Ron seconded, the motion passed unanimously.

Reservoir Reach:

CMR Comprehensive Management Plan Update: The reservoir was come up 22 ft but not up to the spillway gates yet. The Corp has been spraying Salt Cedar from Birk Ranch to the dam and the recreational areas. It cost $30,000 to spray Elk Creek with a helicopter. The council is to meet with Barron Crawford @ 10:30 a.m. in the restaurant and meet with Steve Gertin @ 9 a.m. in the restaurant before he speaks on Thursday. Dean feels that a lot of rules have been broken in the planning process. It was brought up the MACO had passed a similar resolution at their State Convention. It has taken the BLM 9 years to update the RMP.

Lower Reach:

MRRIC Meeting Update: The group met in Cheyenne a couple of weeks ago. A summary of the meetings accomplishments was included in the council’s meeting packet. MRERP Program EIS Section 108 – MRAPP talks about authorizes uses of the Corp dam. It is thought that the lower basin might come up short. At the Annual Operating Plan meeting people came and gave testimony. The next meeting is in St. Louis in.

Travel Funding Update: Vicki reported that there is about $4,000.00 left and that her alternate has ever submitted a travel claim. It was discussed that the Corp would transfer money to the hosting state for travel reimbursements and that the details are being worked out.

AOP comment letter approval: The Missouri River Mainstem System 2009-2010 Draft Annual Operating Plan (AOP) draft letter was included in the council’s meeting packet and after reading the letter Buzz moved to approve the letter as written and Ron seconded, the motion passed unanimously.

Ron reported that the Dry Prairie Water is laying pipe from the Air Base to Nashua and should be completed by mid-winter.

MACD- no report at this time

DNRC- Karl reported that budget predictions are lower that expected for next year. He informed the council that they were coming up with the criteria on the value of land ruined by the Coal Bed Methane and that this should be done by July 1st 2011. The pilot program for the Peer review and audit was in place and going well. He also reported that in the Supervisor’s training they would walk through the project development program and that each district will need to have one project in to MACD. He was looking at doing a showcase on Timber management and grazing using Scott Blackman’s house on Friday. The focuses being on intense fire areas being re-seeded and how it coincides with erosion. On the Derby fire the area was re-seeded and the erosion was decreased by 30-45%.

NRCS- no report at this time

New Business:

Elections: Vice Chairman –Paul Gies nominated Nick Schultz for Vice Chair, Dennis seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Executive Committee: Buzz moved to elect the Executive Committee by mail in ballot and Jim seconded, the motion passed.

MRERP comment letter approval: Each person was to fill out the survey and give to Vicki by the end of convention and she would forward them and write a comment letter from the council.

State Water Plan: Jim Beck had a power point presentation that he presented to the council. The council was asked if it would be interested in helping with the update. He was not sure of the yes or no date but thought it would be soon. Buzz asked if there was an existing plan and Jim answered yes. Buzz asked if this plan would be used by anyone in the state and Jim thought that the state itself would possibly use it. Buzz asked if there s a purpose plan for the state plan. Dana asked if the information was already out there and just needed to be complied.

Washington D.C. Trip: It was discussed that the middle of January would be a good time for the council to return to D.C. The average cost for the last trip was about $2,000.00 per person. Vicki mentioned that it was budgeted for 1 out of state trip for the coordinator and 1 council member. Paul moved to send Dana and Vicki back to D.C. in mid- January and Rick seconded, the motion passed.

State legislative Issues: Draft ideas-

Regulating quality and quantity of storm water in regulations – DEQ

Wind development and wind rights landowner point of view

Wood burning generator plans at existing lumber mills

1-4 p.m.

April - June