Montana Wilderness Proposals

From the Missoulian: "In the past 30 years, Montana's would-be wilderness hasn't changed much. But the debate around it certainly has.

"Congress has two national wilderness bills in play this session. One that zipped through the Senate last month would protect acreage in nine states - but not Montana. Another in the House of Representatives includes more than 7 million Montana acres, but has no support from the state's congressional delegation....

"The most recent appeared Friday, when the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest released its updated forest management plan with 322,000 acres of recommended wilderness in the Anaconda-Pintler mountains, Garfield Mountain and Snowcrest Range."

The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest revised management plan has been posted on the forest website.

The source article references two wilderness bills: Senate Bill 22 and House Bill 980. The bill text and status of the bills is detailed on THOMAS.

Source: Chaney, R. (23 February 2009). "Wilderness proposals, debates cropping up." Missoulian. A1.

Martinsdale Wind Power Project

From the Great Falls Tribune: "The state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is recommending that wind turbines be allowed on state land as part of what would be the largest privately owned wind farm in Montana."

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) has posted the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Martinsdale Wind Power Project.

Comments on the proposal will be accepted through March 9, 2009. Comments may be emailed (MartinsdaleWindFarm@mt.gov) or submitted to the following address: Montana DNRC, Northeastern Land Office: Martinsdale Wind Farm, PO Box 1021, Lewistown, MT 59457.

Source: Puckett, K. (20 February 2009). "State pushes for construction of Martinsdale Wind Farm." Great Falls Tribune.

Montana Bills in the News

HB 483: Revising laws governing board of environmental review related to energy projects

Bill text

Fiscal note
Source: Dennison, M. (20 February 2009). "Bills back energy projects: Republicans promoting proposals that would limit appeals of permits." Billings Gazette.

HB 529: Generally revise MEPA

Bill text

Fiscal note
Source: Associated Press. (18 February 2009). "GOP energy bills pack hearing." Billings Gazette.

HB 534: Require audio-video recording of custodial interrogations

Bill text

Fiscal note
Source: Adams, J.S. (20 February 2009). "Bill would require taping of interrogations by police." Great Falls Tribune.

HB 548: Require inspection for dog breeding facilities

Bill text

Fiscal note
Source: Johnson, C.S. (20 February 2009). "Debate heats up on 'puppy mill' bill." Missoulian.

HB 566: Revising environmental impact statement laws

Bill text

Fiscal note
Source: Associated Press. (18 February 2009). "GOP energy bills pack hearing." Billings Gazette.

SB 46: Protection of unborn life as compelling state interest

Bill text
Source: Deines, K. (20 February 2009). "Abortion bill passes first test in Senate." Missoulian. B1.

HJ 18: Censure Burlington Northern for river corridor scenery destruction

Bill text
Source: Associated Press (19 February 2009). "Idled rail cars focus of legislative reprimand." Great Falls Tribune.

SJ12: Approve Bitteroot valley community college

Bill text

Fiscal note
Source: Jannotta, S. (20 February 2009). "Community college tabled." Ravalli Republic (via Missoulian).

Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger

From the UNESCO press release: "UNESCO launched the electronic version of the new edition of its Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger on 19 February. This interactive digital tool provides updated data about approximately 2,500 endangered languages around the world and can be continually supplemented, corrected and updated, thanks to contributions from its users."

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has made the latest edition of The Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger interactive and freely available online.

Source: Davies, L. (20 February 2009). "Words of warning: 2,500 languages under threat worldwide as migrants head for city: Unesco unveils its first comprehensive database of endangered tongues." The Guardian.

NAS Forensic Science Report

From CNN: "In its report published Wednesday, the academy showed there is a serious lack of uniform standards, training and oversight. And, with the exception of DNA technology, the report concludes experts often overstate how much can be determined by forensic techniques running the gamut from fingerprinting to bite mark and hair analysis."

The National Academy of Sciences report, "Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward," is now available online. The National Academy of Sciences website includes other information on the report, including a press release, testimony, and an archived audio briefing.

Source: Cratty, C., and Meserve, J. (18 February 2009). "Crime labs need major overhaul, study finds." CNN.

W.R. Grace Motion for Change of Venue

From the Missoulian: "In a 20-page defense motion filed Tuesday, attorneys for W.R. Grace wrote that 'pretrial publicity has saturated the community in which the court intends to conduct the trial in this case. The recent barrage of inflammatory media coverage will make it impossible to impanel an impartial jury.'"

The defense motion and attached documents are posted with the U.S. vs W.R. Grace case file on the U.S. District Court District of Montana website.

Joint motion for Leave to File Motion to Change Venue by W.R. Grace

Attachment 1

Attachment 2

Source: Scott, T. (19 February 2009). "Defense request to move Grace trial out of Missoula denied." Missoulian. A4.

Blair Report

From the Washington Post: "Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair told Congress yesterday that instability in countries around the world caused by the current global economic crisis, rather than terrorism, is the primary near-term security threat to the United States."

The report from Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair is available on the DNI website: "Annual Threat Assessment of the Intelligence Community for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence."

Source: Pincus, W., and Warrick, J. (13 February 2009). "Financial Crisis Called Top Security Threat to U.S." Washington Post. A14.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Update

From the Associated Press: "Reluctant to call it quits, key lawmakers bargained into overtime Thursday on the $790 billion economic stimulus legislation before reaching final agreement more than 24 hours after first announcing a deal. Lingering controversy over school-modernization money and a scaled-back tax break for businesses forced a delay in final votes on the legislation. But by nightfall, with Democratic leaders eager for final passage by the weekend, all issues were reported settled."

The House Rules Committee website has the text of the conference report that hammers out the compromise between the House and Senate versions of H.R. 1, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The website includes explanatory statements (Division A, Division B) that make the many provisions in the bill more clear.

The history of the bill up to (but not yet including) the conference report can be found through THOMAS.

Source: Associated Press (12 February 2009). "Lawmakers say all issues settled in stimulus bill: Dispute over school construction settled, vote expected in House Friday." MSNBC.com.

Salmonella Outbreak Hearing

From the Washington Post: "Stewart Parnell, president of Peanut Corporation of America, also pressed federal regulators to allow him to continue using peanuts from the tainted plant and shipped contaminated products to customers with a homemade certificate that falsely attested to their purity, according to e-mails and memos made public yesterday at a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee."

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing on "The Salmonella Outbreak: The Continued Failure to Protect the Food Supply." The hearing webpage includes links to testimony, released documents and memos, and archived video of the hearing.

Source: Layton, L. (12 February 2009). "Peanut Executive Takes the Fifth: Lawmakers Question Firm's President." Washington Post. A02.

Afghanistan Security

From the Washington Post: "Tens of thousands of assault rifles and other firearms in Afghanistan are at risk of being stolen because U.S. officials have lost track of them, according to a congressionally ordered audit that warns that some weapons may already be in Taliban hands."

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) produced a report and testimony related to this topic:

Afghanistan Security: Corrective Actions Are Needed to Address Serious Accountability Concerns about Weapons Provided to Afghan National Security Forces

Afghanistan Security: Lack of Systematic Tracking Raises Significant Accountability Concerns about Weapons Provided to Afghan National Security Forces

Source: Warrick, J., and Smith, R.J. (12 February 2009). "Lost U.S. Weapons May Be Going to Taliban, GAO Says." Washington Post. A12.

Omnibus Autism Proceeding Decisions

From the Washington Post: "Thousands of parents who claimed that childhood vaccines had caused their children to develop autism are wrong and not entitled to federal compensation, a special court ruled today in three decisions with far-reaching implications for a bitterly fought medical controversy."

The U.S. Court of Federal Claims has posted the decisions in three autism-related cases:

Cedillo v. Secretary of Health and Human Services Case No. 98-916V

Hazlehurst v. Secretary of Health and Human Services Case No. 03-654V

Snyder v. Secretary of Health and Human Services Case No. 01-162V

Additional information is available on the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) website. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provides background information on autism.

Source: Vedantam, S. (12 February 2009). "Court Rules Autism Not Caused by Childhood Vaccines." Washington Post.

Montana Bills in the News

House Bill 395: New top marginal rate for taxable income

Bill text

Fiscal note
Source: Johnson. C.S. (12 February 2009). "Legislator suggests tax hike on wealthy." Missoulian. A1.

Senate Bill 46: Protection of unborn life as compelling state interest

Bill text
Source: Gouras, M. (12 February 2009). "Abortion bill faces tough road to ballot." Missoulian. B1.

Senate Bill 229: Use party affiliation on canvass for organizing legislature

Bill text
Source: Associated Press (12 February 2009). "Bill holds lawmakers to party affiliation." Great Falls Tribune.

Senate Bill 234: Insurance coverage for autism

Bill text

Fiscal note
Source: Devlin, V. (12 February 2009). "Measure requires insurers to provide coverage for autism." Missoulian. A5.

Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act

From the Missoulian: "On Wednesday, representatives Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., introduced the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act, which would protect 24 million acres in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, eastern Oregon and eastern Washington. Nearly a third of the total - about 7.5 million acres - is in Montana."

H.R. 980, formally titled "To designate certain National Forest System lands and public lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior in the States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming as wilderness, wild and scenic rivers, wildland recovery areas, and biological connecting corridors, and for other purposes," was introduced yesterday. The text of the bill will be added to THOMAS shortly. The initial draft of the bill has been posted on Representative Carolyn Maloney's website.

Source: Chaney, R. (12 February 2009). "Bill seeks to protect 24M acres." Missoulian. A1.

Outer Continental Shelf Plan

From the Washington Post: "The Obama administration will set aside an "oil and gas or nothing" approach to energy exploration on the outer continental shelf and consider proposals for offshore wind farms alongside plans for new drilling, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said yesterday."

A press release on the Department of the Interior website and the text of Secretary Salazar's remarks describe the change in policy. The Secretary is extending the comment period on a proposed 5-year plan for oil and gas development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf drafted by the Bush Administration. The draft plan is posted on the Minerals Management Service (MMS) website. Interested parties can comment on the plan through the Regulations.gov website. The plan will be revised to incorporate more renewable energy options.

Source: Fahrenthold, D.A., and Eilperin, J. (11 February 2009). "Plan for Oil, Gas Exploration to Be Revamped." Washington Post. A03.

Montana Bills in the News

Here are some bills in the Montana Legislature which have been covered in news reports lately:

HB 228: Citizen self-defense and firearm rights

Bill text
Source: Lowery, C. (10 February 2009). "Montana House Gives Preliminary Nod to Gun-Rights Bill." New West.

HB 349: Revise animal cruelty laws

Bill text

Fiscal note
Source: Neumann, N. (9 February 2009). "Bill in Montana Legislature Would Address Rising Animal Cruelty Cases." New West.

HB 400: Revise alcohol content of beer

Bill text
Source: Schneider, B. (10 February 2009). "High-Octane Beer Bill Advances." New West.

HB 418: Authorize investor owned livestock slaughter and processing plants

Bill Text
Source: Gallagher, S. (11 February 2009). "Montana legislator pushes for horse slaughterhouse." Missoulian. B3.

SB 232: State pancake

Bill text
Source: Dennison, M. (11 February 2009). "Senate hears bill to designate state pancake." Helena Independent Record.

SB 236: Abolish death penalty

Bill text

Fiscal note
Source: Dennison, M. (11 February 2009). "Senate bill targeting death penalty clears panel." Missoulian. B3.

SB 339: Right to work

Bill text
Source: Associated Press (10 February 2009). "'Right to Work' quickly tabled at Legislature." Billings Gazette.

Economic Recovery Plans and Speeches

The video of last night's Presidential press conference has been posted on the White House website. A full transcript is also available.

The Treasury Department website has posted the prepared remarks of Secretary Geithner and a fact sheet on the Financial Stability Plan. More information will be added to a new website: Financial Stability.gov.

The Senate voted to pass H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, with roll call vote 61. Congress will now need to resolve the differences between the versions of the bill passed by the House and the Senate.

Sources: Kurtz, H. (10 February 2009). "At His First Prime-Time News Conference, Obama Is Serious and Expansive." Washington Post. A06.
Andrews, E.L., and Labaton, S. (10 February 2009). "Geithner Details New Bank Rescue Plan." New York Times.
Herszenhorn, D.M. (10 February 2009). "Senate Approves Stimulus Plan." New York Times.

Congressional Oversight Panel Report

From the Congressional Oversight Panel: "Today, February 6th, 2009, the Congressional Oversight Panel released its February Oversight Report, in which the Panel presents the results of a detailed, technical analysis of the value of Treasury's largest transactions under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The report, entitled Valuing Treasury Acquisitions, concludes that Treasury paid substantially more for the assets it purchased under the TARP than the market value of those assets at the time the deal was announced. The Panel's analysis revealed that in the ten largest transactions made with TARP funds, for every $100 spent by Treasury, it received assets worth, on average, only $66. This disparity translates into a $78 billion shortfall for the first $254 billion in TARP funds that were spent."

The Congressional Oversight Panel report, "Valuing Treasury's Acquisitions," has been posted online.

Source: Reuters (6 February 2009). "Regulator Says Bailout Fund Is Misleading the Public." New York Times.

January 2009 Unemployment Numbers

From the New York Times: "The United States lost almost 600,000 jobs last month, and the unemployment rate rose to 7.6 percent, its highest level in more than 16 years, the Labor Department said Friday."

The latest unemployment numbers are available through the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS website also has the Commissioner's statement on the employment situation and trend data related to unemployment.

Source: Andrews, E.L. (6 February 2009). "Economy Shed 598,000 Jobs in January." New York Times.

Montana Snowpack Data

From the Missoulian: "More mountain snowstorms in the coming weeks would make for a better summer down the road, according to snowpack data released Thursday by the Natural Resources Conservation Service."

The Montana Snow Survey Program of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) collects data on snowpack for various watersheds. The latest Snow/Precipitation Update Report can be retrieved with through the website.

Source: Devlin, V. (6 February 2009). "Mountains need more snowpack." Missoulian. B1.

Bills to Implement Healthy Kids initiative

From the Missoulian: "Despite warnings against 'socialized medicine,' the Montana House Monday endorsed a bill that helps launch the voter-approved expansion of government health coverage for uninsured kids."

Information about HB 157, the "Implement healthy kids initiative," is available on the Montana Legislature website through the LAWS database. This includes the bill text and fiscal note.

Source: Dennison, M. (3 February 2009). "House passes bill to expand CHIP." Missoulian. A1.