Upper Missouri Waterkeeper Inc

UPPER MISSOURI WATERKEEPER PROTECTS FISHABLE, SWIMMABLE, DRINKABLE WATER THROUGHOUT THE 25,000 SQUARE MILES OF MONTANA'S UPPER MISSOURI RIVER BASIN OF MONTANA. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION WE ACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH CITIZENS, STAKEHOLDERS AND DECISIONMAKERS, UTILIZE WATER-QUALITY MONITORING AND BEST-AVAILABLE SCIENCE AND, WHEN NECESSARY TO PROTECT WATERWAYS AND COMMUNITIES, INSIST ON COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW. WE BELIEVE HEALTHY, CLEAN WATERWAYS GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH STRONG COMMUNITIES AND THEREFORE FOCUS BOTH ON STOPPING POLLUTION AND ON SUSTAINABLE, LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO ISSUES THREATENING SOUTHWEST AND WEST-CENTRAL MONTANA.

WATERKEEPERS ADVOCACY PROGRAM REVIEWS ADMINISTRATIVE GOVERNMENT AGENCY ACTIONS AND ACTIONS BY LOCAL DECISIONMAKERS THAT AFFECT WATERWAY HEALTH. OUR OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM, COMBINED WITH OUR SCIENCE PROGRAM, USES SCIENCE AND THE LAW TO FASHION EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITIZENS TO STAND UP FOR THEIR RIGHT TO CLEAN, FISHABLE, SWIMMABLE, DRINKABLE WATER. WE'VE ENGAGED OVER 1,000 CITIZENS IN DIRECT ACTION STANDING UP AGAINST THE THREAT OF AN INDUSTRIAL-SCALE MEGA SLAUGHTERHOUSE PROPOSED OUTSIDE THE CITY OF GREAT FALLS, ENSURING DECISIONMAKERS KNOW CITIZENS SUPPORT LOCAL, TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS, NOT CORPORATE FOOD SYSTEMS. WE COLLECTED MORE THAN TWO DOZEN WATER QUALITY SAMPLES AT MORE THAN A DOZEN RIVER MONITORING LOCATIONS, TRACKING THE SEVERITY AND PREVALENCE OF HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS IN SW MONTANA RIVERS. WE ALSO ENGAGED 5 OTHER WATER CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS AND MORE THAN 2,500 COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC IN SUPPORT OF AGENCY DECISIONS THAT PROTECT THE GALLATIN RIVER. WE REVIEWED AND SUBMITTED COMMENTS ON MORE THAN A DOZEN POLLUTION PERMITS ADVOCATING FOR STRONGER POLLUTION CONTROL LIMITS THAT BETTER PROTECT LOCAL WATERWAY HEALTH. WE FILED AND WON A FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT CASE RESULTING IN HALTING THE STATE OF MONTANA FROM LEGISLATIVELY ROLLING-BACK SCIENCE BASED CRITERIA FOR PROTECTING RIVER HEALTH.