Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON, DC – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today posted a list of verbal and written comments he heard from Montanans during the 22 public meetings he held regarding Sen. Jon Tester’s Wilderness bill. The comments are posted in the “Transparency Center” portion of Rehberg’s congressional website. Last week, Rehberg promised to take this action in a letter to Senator Tester and asked the Senator to join him in doing so in order to maximize transparency in the legislative process.

“I heard from hundreds of Montanans, each with their own ideas and opinions,” said Rehberg, “While ideas will vary in merit, each deserves to at least be heard and considered in a public forum. That’s what I’m trying to do – put them all in the bucket and see which ones end up floating.”

Rehberg has laid out a number of these comments as examples of what he’d like to see changed in the underlying legislation. One proposal, addressing an overriding concern heard in 22 listening sessions, is the notion of a wilderness ‘phase-in’ that would time the creation of new wilderness to the active management of other lands. This solution would alleviate the concern that as soon as the bill becomes law, the wilderness designations are immediate, while there is no assurance that stewardship components would not be infinitely delayed by litigation.

Rehberg, who relayed multiple suggestions in real-time to the public and the press during the course of his listening tour, has gathered a wide array of additional ideas for changes to the legislation including boundary line concerns from farmers and ranchers, preservation of recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts, and maintaining the ability to accurately inventory natural resources like molybdenum.

“There’s no silver bullet here,” warned Rehberg. “There are a lot of very good ideas that should each be considered on their own merit. While I appreciate the buy-in from the partnerships that helped draft the bill, this legislation affects all Montanans who deserve the right to be heard. In addition to some other fixes, an incremental phase-in would help ensure logging isn’t bogged down by lawsuits after new wilderness areas are designated.”

Comments can be found online at http://rehberg.house.gov

In early January, I held 21 public listening sessions and meetings, to hear what Montanans had to say about Senator Tester’s bill to designate more than 600,000 acres of new wilderness. Hundreds of Montanans attended, each with the opportunity to stand up to offer an opinion. Next weekend, I will finish my listening tour in Libby, although I will continue taking input by phone, letter, email, fax, Facebook or any way Montanans care to contact me.

You don’t need to spend too much time in Western Montana to see the need for good forest stewardship. While problems like fires and beetle infestations were around long before man settled among the trees, we now have the ability to manage these challenges to create healthier forests and build a stronger economy.

The hard part is finding a balance between stewardship and wilderness because too much of either can damage the health of both the forest and the economy. It’s also important that such a balance come from a broad consensus of stakeholders.

Over the years, various partnerships between people with similar interests have emerged. Senator Tester’s effort to bring many of these partnerships to the table to develop a collaborative piece of legislation is commendable.

The fruits of that collaboration were evident in the support I heard for Senator Tester’s bill at my public meetings. But I also discovered that many people with legitimate and important concerns about the bill were left out of the process entirely. These Montanans deserve to be heard, and it’s my job to listen to them.

That’s why my first step was a listening tour to field comments, suggestions and concerns about this legislation. And while the comments varied, one theme remained consistent — something needs to be done to move the process forward and end the deadlock facing our public lands, and any such legislation needs to be balanced.

And I listened.

I got a lot of input, and heard some very good ideas:

One idea is to create a graduated trigger for wilderness designation. Under current provisions in the bill, new wilderness would be created on day one, while the designated forest management areas risk perpetual limbo in an endless sea of legal appeals. Radio-man John Schuyler suggested an incremental approach. Each parcel of new wilderness would be created once a certain number of acres were opened to stewardship, or a certain number of jobs created.

A representative of the Montana Backcountry Horsemen expressed his strong support for Senator Tester’s bill, saying that it would afford many benefits to the ailing timber industry while improving fish and wildlife habitat.

A supporter of Senator Tester’s legislation argued that Montana was overdue for a wilderness designation since the last one was 26 years ago.

A representative of the Montana Woolgrowers Association asked that “hard release” language be added to the bill in order to end the management of de-facto wilderness in places like Montana’s seven Wilderness Study Areas.

Over the course of the meetings, it became evident to me that a collaborative effort does not necessarily yield a consensus. I could collaborate with my wife Jan to decide that the Rehberg family should watch The Sound of Music on movie night, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the family will think that’s a good idea. And while the fundamental idea may be sound, when making a decision that affects the whole family, the whole family ought to be involved.

Unfortunately, in this case, some industries like timber were invited to the table, while others were excluded. For example, our state motto is Oro y plata, an homage to our mining heritage. Yet the resource industry wasn’t included in the drafting of the legislation. Similarly, some members of the agricultural community found themselves on the outside looking in.

As I stated on my listening tour, this legislation is the first step, not the end of the process. The majority of Montanans agree there are places in our state that ought to be protected as wilderness, and areas that should be managed for healthier forests. I commend Senator Tester and his partnerships for their bill. Now that the product of their collaboration is public, the public must weigh in and consensus found. I look forward to reflecting on what I learned, reviewing the nuance of maps and legislation and finding a workable solution for 2010, 2020 and beyond.

PHILIPSBURG, MT – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, is continuing his wilderness listening tour in order to hear from the stakeholders about proposed wilderness legislation. Below are some of the comments and ideas he heard at public listening sessions and various meetings in western Montana.

“These public listening sessions are about listening to the public,” said Rehberg. “I’ll take what I learn back to Washington with me to help make sure any proposal reflects a stronger consensus approach to Jon’s bill.”

• Several Montanans worry that Senator Tester’s wilderness bill fails to consider mining interests, saying vast mineral deposits within the proposed designation have not been adequately inventoried, and banning future exploration would hinder the local economy.
• Another individual explained that important metals unique to the area, such as molybdenum, could not be extracted as a result of the bill’s passage. He claimed that molybdenum, which is used in the production of cell phones, computers and jet engines, would afford real economic opportunities for Montana.
• A supporter of Senator Tester’s legislation argued that one wilderness designation in 26 years would not support a claim that there is a state of “perpetual, incremental wilderness creation”.
• A representative of Montanans for Multiple Use criticized the absence of new roads and campground construction in the bill. Another suggested that if any new jobs were created, they would be temporary and commissioned solely for the purpose of destroying valuable infrastructure, such as forest roads needed to fight fires.
• At Rehberg’s public listening session in Philipsburg, an attendee claimed that since wilderness areas are visited by only 2-3 percent of the population, wilderness should comprise a similar percentage of America’s public landmass.
• A handicapped woman said she moved to the region for the purpose of seeking handicap-accessible locations to recreate, and fears new wilderness designations would prevent her from enjoying these destinations.

Includes five public listening sessions: Ennis, Dillon, Butte, Philipsburg, Deer Lodge

BILLINGS, MT – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, will be in Western Montana from January 4-8 to hold public listening sessions on Senator Jon Tester’s wilderness proposal being considered in Congress.

“Before Congress decides how this land should be managed, it’s important to give a voice to the folks who work, hunt, fish, hike, camp and enjoy this land,” said Rehberg, a member of the Congressional Western Caucus and the House Appropriations Committee.  “That means public meetings with an open mic where anyone can come and ask questions.”

Rehberg has scheduled five listening sessions, which will be held in counties impacted by the proposed legislation.  All meetings are open to the public for comments and questions.

They are:

Madison County – Ennis
Monday, January 4, 2010 at 10 AM
Madison Valley Rural Fire Station 1
537 US HWY 287

Beaverhead County – Dillon
Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at 12:30 PM
University of Montana Western, Auditorium Main Hall
710 South Atlantic

Butte-Silver Bow County – Butte
Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 9:30 AM
Montana Tech – SUB Copper Lounge
1300 West Park Street

Granite County – Philipsburg
Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 2:30 PM
Taylor-Knapp Building, Sapphire Gallery, Banquet Room
212 E. Broadway

Powell County – Deer Lodge
Friday, January 8, 2010 at 10 AM
William K. Kohrs Library, Meeting Room
501 Missouri Avenue

In 2009, Rehberg held 36 listening sessions on a broad range of issues from energy policy to health care reform.  At each, he invited the public through press releases, his website and various forms of social media, and then answered their questions and listened to comments from Montanans.

“As Montanans, the land we live on is our most valuable resource,” said Rehberg.  “The question isn’t whether it’s worth protecting, but how we can best do that.  The one-size fits all approach of federal management doesn’t always work, and I want to listen to the folks on the ground before deciding whether I can support any proposal to expand wilderness.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement following news that Smurfit-Stone was closing its Missoula plant at the end of the year.

“Behind the ‘417 Jobs Lost’ headline, there are 417 families that are now facing a difficult Christmas season and uncertainty about where their next paycheck will come from. I’m ready to do whatever I can to provide assistance to all those impacted by this closure, and to avoid similar closures from happening in the future.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, recognized the city of Hamilton as community officials broke ground on improvements to the wastewater treatment facility.

“I am committed to ensuring that Montana’s communities have access to a clean and healthy water supply,” said Rehberg, a member of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee.  “This project will have a direct, positive impact on the public health of Hamilton’s residents, and I’m proud to support it.”

Hamilton is upgrading its aging treatment facility to increase capacity and allow homes within the area using on-site disposal systems to connect to the municipal system, reducing the threat of groundwater contamination.  Other improvements will help reduce the use of potable water at the treatment facility.  The project is expected to be completed by July 2010.

“It’s critical that Montana’s communities have the necessary resources to improve their wastewater facilities,” said Rehberg in a letter read at the ceremony.  “I thank the City of Hamilton and its funding partners for working to provide cleaner, healthier water for future generations.”  Rehberg helped secure $500,000 for the project through the State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) program contained in the
2009 Interior Appropriations bill.

LETTER:

Dear Friends:

It’s a privilege to extend my encouragement as you break ground on improvements to Hamilton’s wastewater treatment facility.  I appreciate all your hard work and dedication as you move forward with this exciting project.

It’s critical that Montana’s communities have the necessary resources to improve their wastewater facilities.  That’s why I helped secure $500,000 for this project in the State and Tribal Assistance Grant
(STAG) program, which was included in the 2009 Interior Appropriations bill.  These funds will help update the current system, and I thank the City of Hamilton and its funding partners for working to provide cleaner, healthier water for future generations.

As a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, I remain committed to ensuring that Montana’s communities have access to a clean and healthy water supply.  This project will have a direct, positive impact on the public health of Hamilton’s residents, and I’m proud to support it.

I’m excited to be a part of this groundbreaking, and I look forward to congratulating you upon the completion of this project.  Again, thank you, and please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

BILLINGS, MT. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, is inviting area residents to share their thoughts during a series of public listening sessions to be held in Madison and Broadwater Counties on Tuesday, November 24, and in Powell and Deer Lodge Counties on Wednesday, November 25.

“I visit each of Montana’s 56 counties every congressional term so I can hear directly from Montanans.  I encourage everyone to join me to discuss the important issues facing Montana and the nation,” said Rehberg, a Montana rancher and member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “These public listening sessions are geared toward exchanging ideas and gathering input that I take to Washington D.C.  I’m looking forward to my visits.”  Rehberg has held eighteen public listening sessions around the state since the beginning of summer.

Congressman Denny Rehberg Public Listening Sessions

Tuesday, November 24

Ennis – 10:00 a.m.
Madison Valley Rural Fire Station #1
537 U.S. Hwy. 287

Townsend – 2:30 p.m.
Broadwater County High School, Community Room
201 N. Spruce

Wednesday, November 25

Deer Lodge – 10:30 a.m.
William K. Kohrs Memorial Library, Meeting Room
501 Missouri Avenue

 Anaconda – 1:30 p.m.
Community Service Center, Conference Room #1
118 East 7th Street

WASHINTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg today announced funding in the final Department of Interior Appropriations Bill which will now go to President Obama for his signature. Rehberg is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

“With the vast expanses of federally controlled land in Montana, these funds are a necessary and significant part of preserving our state’s heritage,” said Rehberg. “Montanans want to protect our state for our children and grandchildren. That’s why I worked across party lines with Montana’s Senators and President Obama to find common ground to secure funding for these projects.”

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Rehberg has worked over the last year to include these projects in the final bill. The final bill lists his name as a sponsor for each of these projects, which were carefully scrutinized by Rehberg and his staff and supported by folks all across Montana. Unfortunately, the same care was not applied to the rest of the bill which was written by the House majority. Consequently, Rehberg voted against the final legislation because it included reckless and unsustainable spending increases that he simply could not support. Rehberg’s vote was part of an effort to return the bill to the Appropriations Committee in order to reduce the overall levels of spending to an amount he could support.

The projects Rehberg secured are listed below:

City of Bozeman Main Street Historical District Restoration - $150,000
“We greatly appreciate Representative Rehberg’s work on this. The historic buildings on three sides of the explosion were significantly damaged in the explosion, but not destroyed. I know those owners are struggling to come up with the resources to save those historic sites, which will benefit the community by restoring jobs.” - Chris Kukulski, City Manager , Bozeman

Bozeman’s historic downtown has served as its center of economic activity since the city was first established. The historic core is a hub for retail, dining, banking, and professional services.

On March 5, 2009, a natural gas line explosion in Bozeman’s historic downtown. The explosion and subsequent fire destroyed four historic buildings, and significantly damaged three others. All buildings were in the Bozeman Main Street Historic District, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Plant Biotechnology Research With MSU - $1 million

“We are delighted to be working with an institution as fine as Montana State University and we applaud Congressman Rehberg’s vital efforts for important university research that will benefit the agriculture economy in Montana. Denny is a true champion of research funding and all it can do for agriculture, energy security and a cleaner healthier environment.” - Dorin Schumacher, President of the Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research (CPBR)

CPBR funds university research and technology transfer for environmentally friendly industries. Working with the Montana State University, it will improve existing technology and develop new ones ranging from “green” chemicals and industrial manufacturing processes to environmental remediation. This, in turn, helps build agricultural and environmentally friendly industries and develop a workforce of the future that will reduce greenhouse gases and create new, high-paying “green” jobs in Montana and throughout the nation.

CPBR supports research that private companies tend to avoid as a result of high-risks and long-term outlays.

Water Research Foundation, Based in Missoula - $1.7 million

“We’re particularly appreciative of Congressman Rehberg for his responsible and responsive efforts to fund this project. This funding will be leveraged five times over by private contributions, and the real beneficiaries of the Water Research Foundation’s efforts are the rural areas and small utilities that are so prominent in Montana. They need the research and data the most, and can least afford to do it on their own.” - Arvid ‘Butch’ Hiller, Vice President and General Manager of Mountain Water Company in Missoula

The Water Research Foundation, based in Missoula, helps local water companies and districts supply safe, affordable drinking water to consumers nation-wide. Its work focuses on applied research for cost effective technologies to enhance drinking water technologies. It’s the largest drinking water research foundation in the world, and has sponsored research world-wide to make drinking water clean, affordable and available to the public.

Em-Kayan County Water & Sewer Infrastructure Improvement – $290,600

“We want to thank Congressman Rehberg for his hard work on this important project. This funding will replace the leaking pipes and antiquated control system. We’re suffering a lot of leakage problems, which causes contamination risks for the people of Em-Kayan, and this funding will help us modernize our systems.” - Gene Tracy President of the Em-Kayan Sewer Water District and President of the Homeowners Association

The Em-Kayan community water system, which consists of three springs, two wells, five steel storage tanks and a water distribution system including fire hydrants, was constructed in the 1960’s. Although it has been expanded several times to meet increases in demand, it now requires improvements that are beyond the financial capabilities of the District alone.

These funds will help with the installation of a new PVC water main to prevent water system contamination and better conserve Montana’s resources, the installation of 62 water meters to improve accounting and conservation, 5 new hydrants to meet fire safety requirements, and installation of a new control system to replace the existing maintenance intensive system.

Various Conservation Easements – $12 million

“We appreciate Congressman Rehberg’s support of these projects. Landowner demand for easements on the Rocky Mountain Front grew by 30,000 acres this year. These United States Fish & Wildlife Service easements support the viability of local ranches and communities in which they reside. The Blackfoot Bureau of Land Management project represents the largest remaining public portion of the larger Blackfoot Community Project, which, when complete, will conserve more than 100,000 acres in diverse public and private ownership and will help maintain a rural way of life for that community.” - Bebe Crouse, Director of Communications, The Montana Chapter of the Nature Conservancy.

“Thanks to Representative Rehberg, this critical funding will complete this project and preserve the Meeteetse Spires’ spectacular scenery, conserve important wildlife habitat and expand recreational access. We applaud Rep. Rehberg for his leadership and commitment to enhancing the quality of life for the people – and wildlife – of Montana.” - Gates Watson, director of The Conservation Fund’s Montana Office

President Obama included requests for several Conservation Easements in his budget and Rehberg submitted them to the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. They included land acquisitions for Meeteetse Spires ($1.5 million), Blackfoot Challenge-Nora Gulch ($1 million), Rocky Mountain Front ($3.75 million), Blackfoot River Special Recreation Management Area ($4.5 million) and GYA-Cooke City Mining claims ($2 million).

Conservation easements are voluntarily conveyed, partial legal interests in land. Since the 1975 passage of The Montana Open-Space Land and Voluntary Conservation Easement Act over 300,000 acres have been protected with conservation easements. They comprise ecological, open space, recreational and historic areas and can include wildlife habitat, natural and undisturbed ecosystems, wildlife and scenic river corridors, threatened or endangered species, recreational resources, pro­ductive agricultural land, educational resources and historic sites or structures.

Each easement is different because each parcel of land is unique, and each easement is designed in consultation with the landowner. All land uses not specifically given up in the easement deed remain with the landowner.

August Schedule Now Includes Listening Sessions in 18 Counties

BILLINGS, MT – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has announced two additional listening sessions in Montana to be held this week in Bozeman and Hamilton. Rehberg has already scheduled sixteen listening sessions across Montana, but was able to schedule two more in Western Montana at the last minute.

“The 14 listening sessions I’ve held so far this August have been incredibly helpful for me,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “It’s important to listen as much as you talk because while Montanans are concerned about health care, they also care about everything from federal spending to cap and tax legislation. It’s my job to bring their concerns back to Washington, D.C. with me.”

Rehberg has scheduled eighteen listening sessions in August, more than any other Montana official and among the most in the United States. The sessions are a part of his commitment to visit each of Montana’s 56 counties. Rehberg added listening sessions in two additional counties for Thursday and Friday:

A Gallatin County Listening Session on Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 9:00 am at the MSU Strand Union Building, Ballroom A in Bozeman.

A Ravalli County Listening Session on Friday, August 21, 2009 at 1:00 pm at the Hamilton Performing Arts Center, 327 Fairgrounds Road, in Hamilton.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today announced the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $598,624 to four Montana healthcare providers through the Rural Health Care Services Outreach Grant Program.

“Montana is a big state, and providing healthcare across a great distance can be a real challenge,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “These providers are working to expand their outreach services and improve the availability of quality health care for area residents. These grants are well deserved.”

The Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program promotes the development of health care delivery systems in rural communities through collaborative partnerships with other providers. This program allows the healthcare community to provide rural Americans increased services like hospice, dental care for children, and prenatal care.

The grant program awarded $150,000 to Butte Silver Bow Primary Health Care Clinic, $149,558 to St. James Healthcare Foundation of Butte, $149,066 to Granite County Medical Center of Philipsburg, and $150,000 to Wheatland Memorial Healthcare of Harlowton.