Dear Government Officials,
September 26, 2009
We want to keep you updated on our efforts to have the MDT reroute the long haul semis to Interstate 15.
We presented a speech to the Transportation Commission in Helena on September 24th. Jim Lynch was there and we also saw Spook Stang who got up and spoke. We met with Hal Harper, Chief Advisor to the Governor and also the Deputy Attorney General to ask for more money for enforcement.
The speech is included and focuses on the importance of the Madison Valley as a critical wildlife corridor for animals migrating to and from Yellowstone National Park. With the Ken Burns documentary on our National Parks airing on the television this weekend, it is timely to speak of not only saving our National Parks’ landscape, but also to save the animals that we go to see. Many of those animals migrate to the Madison Valley in the winter. We believe rerouting long haul semis to the middle of that age old migration is just wrong. The I 15 does not have the same importance and is a proven safer route for all vehicles and semis.
If you are interested in reading the environmental studies done on this valley as a critical migration linkage, we will send the information to you. The speech highlights several issues in those reports.
We are asking that the MDT immediately reroute the long haul trucks to the Interstate 15 and out of the Madison Valley during the construction of 191.
Sincerely,
Patricia Mayne noahdjnanny@yahoo.com 682-7154
Thank you for allowing us to address your commission on a subject of critical importance to the Madison Valley, Mt. Hwy 87 (Raynold’s Pass), and US Hwy 287.
We are asking that you and the Governor make a courageous decision based on a recently passed Western Governors’ Association resolution 07-01 and environmental studies which show the importance of the Madison Valley as a critical wildlife corridor vulnerable to heavy traffic flow.
We are asking that you help preserve the Madison Valley as a critical wildlife corridor and protect it from habitat fragmentation caused by a heavy flow of commercial truck traffic which has been rerouted from Hwy 191.
We are asking that you preserve this valley as an extension of our first National Park with all the protections and regulations significant to such an environmentally sensitive area.
You have the power to designate highways by system, allocate Federal funds, designate special speed zones and designate access control of highways. All of these powers may come into play in solving this problem.
Our resolution to support the preservation of the Madison Valley is as follows:
Whereas, the Western Governors’ Association unanimously approved Policy Resolution 07-01, Protecting Wildlife Migration Corridors and Crucial Wildlife Habitat in the West, which instructed the WGA to develop and conduct a process to, “identify key wildlife migration corridors and crucial wildlife habitats in the West and make recommendations on needed policy options and tools for preserving those landscapes”. The initiative is based on the recognition that large intact and functioning ecosystems, healthy fish and wildlife populations and abundant public access to natural landscapes, define the West and that, in their own right, draw people to the region. The wildlife corridors initiative report specifically cites the economic importance of hunting, fishing and wildlife-associated recreation to small rural communities throughout the West. In the contiguous Western states, more than 43.6 million people participated in hunting, fishing or wildlife watching in 2006, spending almost $33.6 billion. This revenue is dependent on significant, reliable wildlife populations, which in turn depend on quality habitat and corridor movement.
Whereas, the Transportation Working Group of the Western Governors’ Association Wildlife Corridors Initiative states that, “roads and rail can be impediments that make it difficult for animals to meet their basic life needs (e.g. food, mates and other resources) sometimes completely isolating wildlife populations, which reduce genetic diversity and can threaten the population’s persistence”. The Transportation Working Group also states that “vehicles collide with wildlife over one million times each year in the U.S. and the annual number of collisions has grown by 50% in the last 14 years. Road mortality is cited as a major threat to twenty-one federally listed threatened and endangered species”.
Whereas, the Report, A Wildlife Conservation Assessment of the Madison Valley, Montana, compiled by The Wildlife Conservation Society in collaboration with The Craighead Environmental Research Institute, states that “The Madison Valley is arguably the most important wildlife corridor in the 18 million acre Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem”, the largest intact bioregion in the lower 48 states.
Whereas, subdivisions and roads emerge as the two most important threats to wildlife corridors and road mortality ranks 11th out of 20 vulnerability levels of species affected by human impacts and according to the above report, “high- speed roads create movement barriers, fragment habitat, and create disturbance.
Whereas, The Madison Valley pronghorn herd undergoes one of the longest animal migrations in the lower 48 states, especially along Raynold’s Pass, Mt. Hwy 87 and these roads combined with unfriendly wildlife fencing along those roads will restrict the movements of migrating pronghorn and/or cause excessive mortality. Pronghorn need to feel secure with minimum disturbances that may impede their movements.
Whereas, aquatic species are disproportionately affected by pollution as runoff carries pollutants which accumulate in streams, and US Hwy 287 runs perilously close to the blue ribbon Madison River. The Henry’s Lake fishery is the last stronghold in the Henry’s Fork basin for the imperiled Yellowstone cutthroat trout, and the ecologically irreplaceable Henry’s Lake region (Idaho 87 two miles from MT. 87) is most critical to wildlife habitat and migration corridors in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Whereas, bighorn sheep are the most negatively affected within the study area and connectivity between isolated patches of habitat needs to be maintained to allow bighorn to naturally colonize, and the stretch of MT Hwy 287 in the vicinity of Quake Lake is important bighorn habitat where the impacts of high speed traffic and road salting is damaging to this species.
Whereas, reducing Boreal Toad mortality near Hebgen Lake by constructing under the road access to breeding habitat around the lake and warning motorists that they are traveling through important habitat for a sensitive species might also reduce mortality.
Whereas, migrating elk use US Hwy 287 south of Papoose Creek and Mt. Hwy 87, Raynold’s Pass, as an age-old natural 50 mile migrating highway in and out of Yellowstone National Park, navigating the spine of the Madison Range, entering the open expanse of the Madison Valley, fording the Madison River and heading west to the lower flanks of the Gravelly Mountains where they spend the winter on the grasslands of the Wall Creek Wildlife Management Area, and if these migration routes are disturbed, the whole corridor can fall apart, and the resulting isolation of biological islands will cause restricted and weakened gene pools and high rates of species extinctions.
Whereas, the grizzly bear has been reinstated on the endangered species list and according to the Craighead study, “It is difficult to overestimate the potential role of the Madison Valley in securing the long-term future of grizzly bears in the Northern Rockies, and vast areas of unoccupied habitat lie to the west of the Madison Valley with a narrow strip of high quality habitat through the valley providing the best potential linkage between these unoccupied areas and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This corridor extends south from Wolf Creek to Raynold’s Pass with the highest connectivity value where Papoose Creek crosses US Hwy 287. Efforts should be made to maintain this area as the highest quality, and most effective wildlife habitat linkage corridor possible, where the loss of a single bear would significantly diminish the grizzly bear recovery progress”.
Whereas, the wolverine is vulnerable to a number of threats, it is important to maintain connectivity between mountain ranges on either side of the Madison Valley, especially the important linkage zone between Papoose Creek and Raynold’s Pass.
Whereas, lower elevation habitats are critical to wintering ungulates and support species not found elsewhere, they are often most impacted by human activities so harbor a disproportionate number of declining species. The Raynold’s Pass area has lost 70% of its wildlife diversity potential with the greatest impact around Hebgen Lake and between Papoose Creek and Raynold’s Pass. This area contains a high diversity value because it is located where four mountain ranges (Madison, Gravelly, Centennial, and Henry’s Lake) come together forming an area of interconnected mountainous and forest habitats that are interspersed with grasslands and sagebrush steppe in the Missouri Flats area, MT. Hwy 87.
Whereas, Norris Hill, between Bear Trap Canyon and North Meadow Creek, represents an important stepping stone to the Madison and Tobacco Root Mountains for a number of species it should be preserved as an important habitat linkage.
Whereas, the Craighead report states, “Wolf Creek to Raynold’s Pass is arguably one of the most important wildlife linkage zones in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This area provides secure passage of forest carnivores such as wolverine, grizzly bear, and lynx from the Madison Range on the east to the vast area of interconnected mountain ranges to the west. In addition, narrowing of sagebrush and grassland habitats through this area creates a bottleneck for migrating pronghorn making the area critical for continuing migrations of these species.
Whereas, in another report, Wildlife Linkage and Highway Safety Assessment, written by Elizabeth Williamson of American Wildlands Safe Passage Program in conjunction with MDT, MT 87 and US 287 are shown to be critical linkage areas for native Montana focal species and report high levels of road kill. Interstate 15 has no hot spots for these Focal Species.
Whereas, the Endangered Species Act, Section 7(a) (2) states that federal agencies shall ensure that their actions are not likely to jeopardize the existence of a listed species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat.
Whereas, the Federal Highway Administration mandates that federal money is dispersed to transportation agencies after they have consulted with environmental agencies to determine how projects can be wildlife friendly and thus safer for the public. Funds can also be used to mitigate impacts against natural habitat caused by past highway development.
Whereas, out of 29 areas in the study area of this report, two are on high priority US 287 and none are on Interstate 15.
Whereas, Interstate 15 is a safer corridor based on focal species road kill than US 287, a compelling argument can be made for rerouting semis to the Interstate.
Whereas, almost half (46%) of the private land in the Madison Valley, more than 187 square miles, is already under conservation easement, as well as 114,000 acres of Ted Turner’s Flying D Ranch to the north. This shows the concern and importance of wildlife to this area. It makes sense that the State of Montana should acknowledge and protect this Valley through improved road regulations that take into consideration the importance of wildlife connectivity, as well as the 1 billion dollar tourist value of this area from fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing.
Whereas, Large semi trucks distract from the quiet enjoyment of this valley, create unsafe passage for wildlife day and night, create oil pollution on the roads that runs off into the Madison River, create hazardous hazmat conditions within close proximity to hospitals, retirement homes and schools, disturb and degrade small town Main Streets and their tourism, create unsafe road conditions for slow moving tourists pulling boats, horses and motor homes, create unsafe conditions for school buses stopping on these two lane roads and create unsafe conditions with wildlife interface.
Now, Therefore, We are asking the Transportation Commission and the Governor to make a courageous decision to acknowledge the importance of the Madison Valley as a Critical Wildlife Corridor for animals moving to and from our first National Park and to create safe passage for these animals through rerouting long haul semi trucks out of the valley and on to roads safer and better suited for their travel.
For the safety of the wildlife and the public, semis should use Hwy 191, a National Highway System road built with federal funds as a truck route from Canada to Mexico, as well as Interstate 15. Since Hwy 191 is under construction and presently restricts long haul semis and hazardous materials trucks, an immediate decision should be made to divert these trucks to Interstate 15.
We also request the designation of the Madison Valley, Mt. Hwy 87, Mt. Hwy 287 and US Hwy 287 as a Critical Wildlife Corridor. As such we request special speed zones for all vehicles and semis using this sensitive habitat corridor area, no jake brakes for semis, and signs designating these areas and regulations. Informational signs regarding wildlife corridors would help travelers understand how important this area is to our ecosystem and to be aware of animal crossings and reduce their speeds accordingly. The Mission Statement of the MDT states that “sensitivity to the environment” is to be considered in our transportation system, as well as “safety”. MDT documents show the Interstate to be safer for truck travel.
We request funding for a permanent weigh station at the Cameron site to monitor these regulations.
We are requesting seasonal load restrictions and reduced speed limits on MT 87, Raynold’s Pass, to prevent pavement surface damage. These restrictions are in place on ID 87 which joins MT 87.
The United States Constitution allows its citizens to criticize “unwise” or “oppressive” policies. We believe the decision to reroute all semi trucks to the Madison Valley without consideration of their impact on the valley and its wildlife is an unwise decision that must be rectified.
Thank you,
Patricia Mayne
Tricia Stabler
Jackie Matthews