What this Compact does is give to the CSKT Tribe the following:
The Flathead Irrigation Project which the irrigators have already paid for.
All the available water for future development from the head waters of the Flathead River, Hungry Horse dam, and Flathead Lake.
Management of all the water on the Reservation and taking all individual water rights.
Control of all the instream flows using a robust flow standard not a fish survival standard.
Control of some county roads, bridges, and infrastructure including the Bison Range.
Free access across private property in Lake, Flathead & Sanders counties with no civil recourse. Land swaps and loss of Bison Range which damages the economy of Counties.
More land inside and outside the Reservation, including Federal forest land.
A Compact that makes it almost impossible to sue for damages if not a tribal member.
$1.9 billion from Federal Government and $55 million from the state of Montana based on damages by the Federal Government which are not listed in the Compact. No money goes to Individual Indians or to 2,500 who left. Tribal Council spends the money with no accountability.
This is a precedent setting piece of legislation. If passed it will alter the policy regarding “off reservation water rights and land” of Indian reservations throughout the United States.
Considering that the Tribe has chosen to ignore the Hellgate Treaty and the Federal and State Constitutions, choosing instead to mount an expensive propaganda campaign designed to frighten and intimidate the citizens of Montana, it is best to reject the CSKT Compact and go through adjudication. When I bought my property and water rights in 1991, I was told to go to the Department of Natural Resource (DNRC) and get my well and irrigation water rights ready for adjudication which was being done in eastern Montana. A staff person helped me, and it took about half an hour to prepare for adjudication. The water court judges have a long history of being fair to all and following the law. Judge Loble was water judge for 23 years and judge McElyea is in his 9th year. Most of the state has already been adjudicated without controversy. The State helped me to prepare for adjudication. Why can’t the State use the dedicated $55 million to provide for legal representation when needed to protect our property and water rights as we go through adjudication and also the property and water rights of Lake, Sanders, Flathead and Lincoln counties?
What this Compact does is give to the CSKT Tribe the following:
The Flathead Irrigation Project which the irrigators have already paid for.
All the available water for future development from the head waters of the Flathead River, Hungry Horse dam, and Flathead Lake.
Management of all the water on the Reservation and taking all individual water rights.
Control of all the instream flows using a robust flow standard not a fish survival standard.
Control of some county roads, bridges, and infrastructure including the Bison Range.
Free access across private property in Lake, Flathead & Sanders counties with no civil recourse. Land swaps and loss of Bison Range which damages the economy of Counties.
More land inside and outside the Reservation, including Federal forest land.
A Compact that makes it almost impossible to sue for damages if not a tribal member.
$1.9 billion from Federal Government and $55 million from the state of Montana based on damages by the Federal Government which are not listed in the Compact. No money goes to Individual Indians or to 2,500 who left. Tribal Council spends the money with no accountability.
This is a precedent setting piece of legislation. If passed it will alter the policy regarding “off reservation water rights and land” of Indian reservations throughout the United States.
Considering that the Tribe has chosen to ignore the Hellgate Treaty and the Federal and State Constitutions, choosing instead to mount an expensive propaganda campaign designed to frighten and intimidate the citizens of Montana, it is best to reject the CSKT Compact and go through adjudication. When I bought my property and water rights in 1991, I was told to go to the Department of Natural Resource (DNRC) and get my well and irrigation water rights ready for adjudication which was being done in eastern Montana. A staff person helped me, and it took about half an hour to prepare for adjudication. The water court judges have a long history of being fair to all and following the law. Judge Loble was water judge for 23 years and judge McElyea is in his 9th year. Most of the state has already been adjudicated without controversy. The State helped me to prepare for adjudication. Why can’t the State use the dedicated $55 million to provide for legal representation when needed to protect our property and water rights as we go through adjudication and also the property and water rights of Lake, Sanders, Flathead and Lincoln counties?