Northern Plains Resource Council

NORTHERN PLAINS RESOURCE COUNCIL ORGANIZES MONTANANS TO PROTECT OUR WATER, LAND, AIR, AND WORKING LANDSCAPES; SUPPORT A HEALTHY, LOCALIZED, AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY; AND BUILD STRONG GRASSROOTS LEADERS, ALWAYS CONSIDERING THE NEXT GENERATION.

FOSSIL FUEL TRANSITION: WE PETITIONED THE OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION & ENFORCEMENT TO INVESTIGATE ONGOING VIOLATIONS, FINANCES, AND LEGALITY OF CANCELLING LONG-HELD GRAZING LEASES BY SIGNAL PEAK ENERGY (OWNER & OPERATOR OF A LONGWALL MINE IN THE BULL MOUNTAINS). WE ORGANIZED COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND AREA RANCHERS TO ENSURE THEY ARE WELL-INFORMED OF THE MINE'S ACTIVITIES AND HAVE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. WE SUCCESSFULLY CHALLENGED THE BLM'S RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN IN THE MILES CITY DISTRICT IN EAST CENTRAL MONTANA TO DEMAND THE INCLUSION OF CLIMATE IMPACTS RELATED TO COAL EXTRACTION FROM THE POWDER RIVER BASIN. WE PUSHED THE BOARD OF OIL & GAS CONSERVATION TO REVIEW THE STATE'S BONDING LEVELS FOR OIL AND GAS WELLS AND INITIATE A RULEMAKING PROCESS TO INCREASE BONDING AMOUNTS TO LEVELS COMMENSURATE WITH THE COST OF RESPONSIBLE CLEAN-UP AND TO APPLY FOR SIGNIFICANT FUNDING TO HELP WITH CLEAN-UP. MEMBERS DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY A NEW METHANE POWERED GENERATING FACILITY IN LAUREL CONTINUE TO ORGANIZE AGAINST CONSTRUCTION OF THE PLANT. WE ENGAGED THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND PROVIDED INFORMATION ON IMPACTS OF THE PLANT THROUGH MEETINGS, PUBLIC RALLIES, AND NEWS COVERAGE. WE ARE TAKING LEGAL ACTION TO CLARIFY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ZONING.

WE BROUGHT TOGETHER A DEDICATED GROUP OF MEMBERS WHO WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR AMENDMENTS TO MONTANA'S LANDMARK 1972 CONSTITUTION. THIS GROUP DEVELOPED STRATEGY AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND RAISED AWARENESS ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL THREATS. WE HOSTED TWO LESSONS FROM INDIGENOUS ORGANIZING SESSIONS WHERE WE HEARD FROM CLANCY SIVERSTEN, FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE LITTLE SHELL TRIBE OF CHIPPEWA INDIANS ABOUT THEIR FOOD SOVEREIGNTY PROGRAM. WE ALSO HEARD FROM PATRICK YAWACKIE AND REGINA MAD PLUME FROM THE FLATHEAD NATION WHO FOUNDED THE PEOPLE'S FOOD SOVEREIGNTY PROGRAM, A NATIVE-LED GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION THAT PROMOTES FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND SELF-DETERMINATION FOR TRIBAL MEMBERS LIVING ON THE FLATHEAD RESERVATION. WE LAUNCHED A BOOK CLUB THAT FOSTERS CRITICAL THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION ON THE TOPICS OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AND BUILDING COMMUNITY. THROUGH OUR GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENT WITH SIBANYE-STILLWATER MINING COMPANY, WE CONTINUED TO WATCHDOG MINE EXPANSION ACTIVITIES, ENSURE TRAFFIC SAFETY, AND MINIMIZE THE MINE'S FOOTPRINT WHEREVER POSSIBLE IN THE STILLWATER AND BOULDER VALLEYS. WE CONTINUED MONITORING THE DEVELOPMENT OF STILLWATER MINE TAILINGS STORAGE FACILITIES WHILE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO BOTH THE MINE AND REGULATORY AGENCIES. AS A RESULT OF OUR GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENT MEMBER INVOLVEMENT AND INPUT FROM TECHNICAL ADVISORS, THE STILLWATER MINE HAS IMPLEMENTED STATE-OF-THE-ART SATELLITE-LINKED SURVEY EQUIPMENT TO MEASURE GROUND MOVEMENT AND GROUNDWATER PORE PRESSURE CHANGES FOR THE FACILITIES. OUR HISTORY PROJECT CONTINUED ITS WORK TOWARDS THE PRESERVATION OF THE UNIQUE STORIES AND PERSPECTIVES THAT FORMED NORTHERN PLAINS. WE PRODUCED A BOOK AND PERMANENT PHOTO DISPLAY THAT HELPS INFORM CURRENT AND FUTURE WORK SO THAT WE ARE NOT RELIANT SOLELY ON THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF CURRENT LEADERSHIP. WE CELEBRATED 50 YEARS OF ORGANIZING MONTANANS IN JUNE 2022 WITH AN EVENT HIGHLIGHTING NORTHERN PLAINS' HISTORY AND SUCCESSES.

AGRICULTURE, LOCAL FOODS, AND HEALTHY SOILS: WE HOSTED THE ANNUAL MONTANA LOCAL FOOD CHALLENGE THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER NEARLY 100 MONTANANS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LOCAL FOOD AND POPULARIZE THE INCORPORATION OF LOCAL FOODS INTO THEIR MEAL ROUTINES. WE BUILT PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE UPCOMING PACKER AND STOCKYARDS ACT RULEMAKING PROCESS TO BE HELD DURING 2023. WE CONTINUED TO MEET WITH THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND PETITIONED THEM TO ENACT TWO PROVISIONS THAT WOULD RESTORE FAIRNESS INTO THE PREDATORY MEAT PACKING INDUSTRY. A FRONT PAGE NEW YORK TIMES STORY FEATURED NORTHERN PLAINS' RANCHING MEMBERS RECOUNTING THEIR WORK TO REFORM THE RIGGED CATTLE MARKET SYSTEM. THE PRINT STORY WAS FOLLOWED WITH AN HOUR LONG PODCAST EPISODE WHICH PROVIDED AN EXPANSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE CATTLE MARKET CORRUPTION FRAMED WITHIN THE HISTORY OF ONE OF OUR FOUNDING RANCH FAMILIES. WE HOSTED TWO SOIL CRAWL EVENTS AND ONE VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM FOCUSED ON SOIL HEALTH TOOLS AND PRINCIPLES. WE CREATED A SOIL HEALTH RESOURCES PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE FEATURING SOIL RESOURCES WE'VE DEVELOPED OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS. WE FINISHED A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT ON THE MONTANA SOIL HEALTH OUTREACH INITIATIVE THAT OUTLINES THE WAYS MONTANA COULD PROMOTE SOIL HEALTH AND COORDINATE STATEWIDE SOIL HEALTH PROGRAMMING. WE WILL PRIORITIZE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE FINAL REPORT TO DEVELOP INTO POLICY SOLUTIONS BY THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

CLEAN ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE: SINCE OUR LONG-FOUGHT VICTORY IN PASSING C-PACE IN THE 2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, EIGHT COUNTIES HAVE INTEGRATED THE ABILITY FOR BUSINESSES TO IMPLEMENT ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES IN A COST-EFFECTIVE WAY. WE ARE PROUD TO REPORT THAT YELLOWSTONE COUNTY RECENTLY APPROVED C-PACE DESPITE EARLY OPPOSITION TO THE PROGRAM. THREE NORTHERN PLAINS AFFILIATE GROUPS ARE ALSO WORKING TO EXPAND C-PACE IMPLEMENTATION INTO MORE COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE. WE CREATED A TOOLKIT TO HELP OUR MEMBERS AND AFFILIATE GROUPS RUN LOCAL CAMPAIGNS TO ENABLE C-PACE, AND OUR AFFILIATE IN LIVINGSTON, THE YELLOWSTONE BEND CITIZENS COUNCIL, CREATED A TOOLKIT FOR COUNTIES LOOKING TO UTILIZE C-PACE. OUR AFFILIATES IN LEWISTOWN AND GLENDIVE LED RESOUNDINGLY SUCCESSFUL SOLARIZE CAMPAIGNS, EFFECTIVELY INCREASING RESIDENTIAL SOLAR IN THE STATE AND BRINGING THE BENEFITS (AND VISUAL IMPACTS) OF SOLAR TO MONTANA'S RURAL COMMUNITIES. WE MET REGULARLY WITH RURAL ELECTRIC CO-OP MEMBERS, MANAGERS AND BOARD MEMBERS, TO HELP THEM MOVE FORWARD ON POLICIES TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENT, DEMOCRATIC PRACTICES WITHIN THEIR CO-OPS AND TO ELEVATE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY WITHIN THEIR SCOPE OF SERVICES.