Yellowstone Visitors, House Budget

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Report: Yellowstone visitors contributed $680 million to local economy
Tourism to Yellowstone National Park Creates $680.3 Million in Economic Benefits 

                                                                                                                                                                       

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: House accepts Senate budget amendments, bill one step away from governor’s desk

HB 2: General Appropriations Act

Veterans Access to Healthcare

Missoulian: More veterans can choose their doctor — and Veterans Affairs will pay for it under new law

S. 544 - An Act to amend the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to modify the termination date for the Veterans Choice Program, and for other purposes.

Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks

Missoulian: Arrests, car crashes and long bathroom lines: Montana's National Parks getting crowded

National Park Service  Visitor Use Statistics
Glacier NP YTD Report

Glacier: Annual Park Recreation Visitation (1904 - Last Calendar Year)

Yellowstone: Annual Park Recreation Visitation (1904 - Last Calendar Year)

Park Reports

Badger-Two Medicine Oil Lease, Berkeley Pit and Geese

Missoulian: Texas oilman sues for access to Blackfeet sacred land

Public Invited to Comment on the Effects to Historic Properties of the Permit to Drill in Lewis and Clark National Forest (August 17, 2015)

October 30^th, 2015
“Since the Solenex lease (MTM 053323) was issued in 1982, "there have been many policy developments, not only with regard to historic properties of traditional religious and cultural significance to Indian tribes but also in Federal-tribal relations." (ACHP letter, September 21, 2015, p. 3.) As noted by the ACHP, regulations, guidance, and Executive Orders have changed and increased the requirements for agencies evaluating projects. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Forest Service has worked diligently to comply with the new requirements by pursuing oral histories and contracting supporting archeological and ethnographical work, which gradually revealed the unique and special nature of the Badger-Two Medicine TCD.”

Final Comments of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (September 21, 2015)

Secretary Jewell, Senator Tester, Blackfeet Nation and Devon Energy Announce Cancellation of Oil & Gas Leases in (November 16, 2016)

Missoulian: Metals, acid in Berkeley Pit water killed geese, report confirms

FWP Updates Snow Goose Consumption Advisory (February 21, 2017)

Report from similar 1995 incident Lethal Injuries to Snow Geese - USGS Columbia Environmental.

Yellowstone Wolf, Boat Inspections

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Park staff kill injured wolf in Yellowstone
Well-Known Wolf Severely Injured and Killed in Park

Bozeman Daily Chronicle:  State launches online boater invasive species training

Montana's invasive mussel response swings into gear April 15
“On April 15, Montana’s full response to the invasive mussels begins statewide with more than 30 inspection stations, decontamination stations for boats leaving Tiber and Canyon Ferry Reservoirs and a broad outreach and education effort to help ensure people recreating on Montana’s waterways are practicing clean, drain and dry techniques at all times.”