Lawmakers vote to keep wild bison off Montana land

…..and do it with a boatload of arrogance

John Brenden R-MT

Not surprisingly, the Montana Senate voted on a bill that would keep Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks from relocating bison anywhere in the state except for the National Bison Range in northwest Montana for the next two years. The Montana House has yet to pass any similar bill but there are many being considered.

Governor Brian Schwietzer has promised to veto any bills of this nature.

Senator Sharon Stewart-Peregoy, D-Crow Agency summed up what could result from this action.

“If the attack on buffalo continues, they will be listed as an endangered species. I don’t think you want to do that.”

To rub it all in with a strong note of arrogance, Sen. John Brenden sang a couple of bars of “Home on the Range” to the protests of Democrats.

If anyone thinks that western states aren’t run by the landed nobility you might want to think again.

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Update. Ralph Maughan on the teabagging Republican Brenden. Brenden Farms got almost $500,000 in farm subsidy payments from 1995-2009. That is about $34,000 a year.
http://farm.ewg.org/persondetail.php?custnumber=A09372868

Over 15 years that would be an average of $33,152/Year.  Some might call this federal government hater a hypocrite, and a mean one at that.

Measure to Regulate Development Along Montana Rivers Likely Dead

Developers and Republicans kill the bill-

Story in New West by. By Courtney Lowery.

It’s hard to find a bright light during the great recession, but if it is killing off the rural sprawl developers who killed the bill, there is at least a bright flicker.

Montana legislature’s idea of fairness — a law to protect polluters from angry neighbors

Bills make it easier for goliaths to fight neighbors. By Matt Clifford. Missoulian. Guest Opinion.

Bill in Montana Senate would prohibit bison relocation.

What would happen to all of the bison presently in quarantine?  Would they be killed?

Senator John Brenden (R-Scobey) has introduced Senate Bill 337. It “Prohibits FWP from relocating wild buffalo or bison as a result of the state/federal bison quarantine feasibility study.” The Senate Hearing is next week on 2/17/09 in Helena.

The true colors of the livestock industry are showing with the introduction of this bill into the Montana State Senate. This makes it painfully obvious that the issue is not about brucellosis but about control over people, wildlife and public lands.

The recent defeat of HB 253 also made it clear that the issue isn’t about brucellosis. The bill would have protected the private property rights of people living on Horse Butte and other areas who welcome the presence of bison and would have handed over the management of bison to Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks.

Are Bison Wildlife or Livestock?

Montana HB253 would change the answer to wildlife-

This is the second story on HB253 posted in this forum.

Are Bison Wildlife or Livestock? You have to start somewhere, and this proposed legislation would be a good first step. By Bill Schneider. New West.

The Montana Wild Buffalo Recovery and Conservation Act of 2009 is co-sponsored by Mike Phillips (D-Bozeman) and Ted Washburn (R-Bozeman). The first hearing is on Thursday, Jan. 29.

It seems to me that since you can hunt bison in Montana that should make them wildlife unless it is legal to hunt other livestock. Is it just a matter that there is a permanent closed season on cattle 😉  ?

Gov. Schweitzer urges conservation groups on against that “row of vultures.”

Schweitzer, however, doesn’t promise any explicit help-

The “vultures” are the corporate lobbyists, according to the governor, but he says that his involvement could “complicate things.”

AP story on conservation group priorities, the governor, Republicans and corporate lobbyists.