MCVcast | MT Conservation Voters MT Conservation Voters

This special Legislative Update edition of MCVcast features a closer look at the threats to public lands, the environment and voting rights in the Montana Legislature. Whitney Tawney, Jake Brown, Whitner Chase and Aaron Murphy explore the reaction to Governor Gianforte’s signing of two anti-voting rights bills. Plus, how to take action as lawmakers ignore the will of voters who overwhelmingly approved public lands funding. And a new Earth Day climate challenge… and a remarkable conversation about the future of coal in America. LINKS:
* CNN: Montana Democrats Sue Over Voting Access Restrictions: https://cnn.it/3asZJRj
* Read Montana Democratic Party’s Lawsuit re: Voter Suppression Bills: https://bit.ly/3eoTOOn
* Yellowstone Public Radio: Montana Democratic Party Challenges New Election Laws: https://bit.ly/3v7XJWr
* Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen’s Open Letter to Montana re: “Voting Irregularities”: https://bit.ly/3grP6Sq
* Sign MCV’s Petition Calling on Lawmakers to Fund Public Lands: https://bit.ly/3sDl0Oy
* Missoulian Editorial: Marijuana Laws Must Fulfill Intent of Voters: https://bit.ly/3eoRTcs
* MCV Chair: Lawmakers: Remember Who You Work For: https://bit.ly/3n7J9LI
* MCV’s “We Voted” Video: https://bit.ly/2P8lDSj
* MCVEF HB379 Survey: https://bit.ly/3eAAqhB
* Northwestern Energy proposes $250 Million Natural Gas Plant in Laurel: https://bit.ly/3auNrYD
* Associated Press: Miner’s Union Backs Shift From Coal in Exchange for Jobs: https://bit.ly/3eoKwSi
* UMWA’s Cecil Robertson and Sen. Joe Manchin Talk Coal at National Press Club: https://bit.ly/2Qe1iMc
* Interior Secretary Haaland Issues two Secretarial Orders: https://on.doi.gov/3gsIYJE
* Biden Pledges to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions During Earth Day Climate Summit: https://nyti.ms/2PcYxdj
* Biden Administration Cancels Oil & Gas Leases on Public Lands Through June: https://bit.ly/3eBoWuf

On this bonus episode of MCVcast, we hear from consultant Barrett Kaiser, who commandeered an Ammon Bundy news conference at the Malheur Wildlife Refuge. Barrett joins us to talk about the future of Bundy’s so-called “People’s Rights Movement.” Plus Whitney Tawney, Jake Brown, Whitner Chase and Aaron Murphy break down the key conservation bills in the Montana Legislature, and an upcoming rally on 406 Day... More questions than answers about Gov. Gianforte’s recent killing of a wolf... And an MCV Education Fund push for “A Better Deal.” LINKS:
* Details of legislation implementing recreational marijuana in Montana: https://bit.ly/31D2Ot3
* SB 379: Saddling Northwestern ratepayers with Colstrip costs: https://bit.ly/3cFs6go
* HB 677: Limiting purchase of ag land for nonprofits: https://bit.ly/3fvuEzy
* Facebook page for Rally for Public Lands on “406 Day” (April 6): https://bit.ly/39s9Wgu
* Register to virtually participate in Rally for Public Lands: https://bit.ly/3frMfZb
* Barrett Kaiser commandeers 2016 Bundy news conference: https://bit.ly/31yqkri
* Kaiser op-ed: https://bit.ly/3rFJGoW
* Gov. Gianforte answers questions about his FWP warning following his trapping and killing of a wolf: https://bit.ly/3m4BfSS
* Sen. Daines wants to delist grizzlies: https://bit.ly/2PjP5oA
* Sen. Heinrich to reinstate a Obama-era climate change rule: https://nyti.ms/2Od9BH2
* U.S. Geological Survey report on Greater Sage-grouse population: https://bit.ly/39yh374
* MCV Education Fund launches “A Better Deal” campaign: https://bit.ly/3rFKOsG
* MCV Education Fund’s “A Better Deal” video: https://bit.ly/3wd5aNv
* Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s opening remarks for Oil & Gas Forum: https://bit.ly/3cDotYF

This week the executive Director of MontPIRG joins MCVcast to talk about the concerning trend of voter suppression legislation in the works in Montana and across the country. Whitney Tawney, Jake Brown, Whitner Chase and Aaron Murphy also go to the steps of the Montana State Capitol to push for public lands funding. Plus, two new lawsuits from Montana against the
Biden Administration, and a new Interior Secretary! LINKS:
* Legislative proposal for marijuana revenue shortchanges public lands funding:
http://bit.ly/3qYwMSD
* MCV statement on marijuana funding proposal: https://bit.ly/3cMkUOv
* MCV statement on Secretary Haaland’s Senate confirmation: http://bit.ly/3cxnvvu
* Sen. Daines Senate floor speech opposing Haaland: http://bit.ly/2P02RMy
* 116 members of Congress sign 30x30 letter: https://bit.ly/3rYyrc7
* Montana AG Knudsen signs Montana onto Biden Keystone XL Pipeline lawsuit: https://bit.ly/2OIakA9
* Knudsen signs Montana onto Biden greenhouse gas lawsuit: https://bit.ly/30SPLn7
* Rosendale rails against the For the People Act on Montana Talks with Aaron Flint: http://bit.ly/2OEfD3A
* MontPIRG: http://mtpirg.org
* Brennen Center for Justice anti-voting legislation tracker: http://bit.ly/30PsN03
* Nada Culver: New Acting Director of the BLM: http://bit.ly/30P6xDt
* Vital Ground Foundation announces LWCF-conserved land: http://bit.ly/2NolkC2
* Ranger Rob Davies speaks to NBC Montana about conservation: http://bit.ly/2NnGcJC
* Tracy Stone-Manning’s U.S. House testimony (March 9): https://bit.ly/2P01Ync

Whitney Williams, Ivan MacDonald and Mary Rutherford, some of the folks behind the innovative new Snowbird Fund, stop by MCVcast to talk about the important work of supporting Indigenous families as they search for missing loved ones. Plus Whitney Tawney, Jake Brown, Whitner Chase and Aaron Murphy cover the bipartisan support for a historic Interior nominee, the flood of legislation -- good and bad -- in the Montana Legislature, the local mayors who have signed on to protect land and water, and the passing of conservation champion Klaus von Stutterheim. LINKS:
* Bozeman Daily Chronicle criticizes Daines for opposing Haaland: http://bit.ly/38aSDzM
* Committee tables HB 457 (marijuana implementation delay): http://bit.ly/3rjmaP4
* Lawmakers consider SB 153 (transferring authority of fishing access sites): http://bit.ly/3uW0qLC
* House passes anti-Renewable Energy Standard bills (HB 576 & HB 475): http://bit.ly/3qnn1NK
* Senate passes anti-wolf bills (SB 267 & SB 314): http://bit.ly/3be2vuw
* Lawmakers debate “enhanced penalties” for infrastructure vandalism (HB 481): http://bit.ly/3kMpSyA
* The Montana Native Voting Rights Act (HB 613): http://bit.ly/2MKJnuA
* The Snowbird Fund: https://www.snowbirdfund.org/
* Contribute to the Snowbird Fund: http://bit.ly/30b3a9R
* Rosendale votes against the Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act: http://bit.ly/3sQgwEM
* 70 mayors, including three from Montana, sign on in support of 30x30 Initiative: https://bit.ly/30fPdY9
* Gov. Mark Gordon outlines “carbon negative” challenge: http://bit.ly/3ea2Gc7
* Klaus von Stutterheim passes away: http://bit.ly/3eaYWHk
* Missoula County proclamation of Klaus von Stutterheim Day: https://bit.ly/3rdo7N4

The organization Protect Our Winters is playing an active role in Montana. This week, POW’s Lindsay Bourgoine joins MCVcast to talk about turning outdoors enthusiasts into climate advocates. Plus, Whitney Tawney, Jake Brown, Whitner Chase and Aaron Murphy recap the confirmation hearing of Interior Secretary Nominee Deb Haaland, and the blowback of Senator Steve Daines’ opposition to her. We examine the hot bills in the Montana Legislature as lawmakers wrap their first half of the session… and a call for submissions in our fight for public land funding. LINKS:
* MCV’s Statement in response to Sen. Daines & Haaland’s hearing: http://bit.ly/2PgQ7Bz
* Newspaper ad: 2,500 Montanans call on Daines to support Haaland: https://bit.ly/3koWz4M
* Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council ad in support of Haaland: http://bit.ly/3dMdsFe
* Committee tables extreme voter suppression bill (HB 455): http://bit.ly/3uvSlgl
* Montana House narrowly passes land transfer bill (HB 320): http://bit.ly/3pX7HH4
* Rep. Larry Brewster pulls net metering bill (HB 359) as dozens opponents wait to testify: http://bit.ly/2Pd55IF
* Rep. Bill Mercer wants to delay recreational marijuana implementation to 2023: http://bit.ly/37KCErJ
* Send us your selfie videos by March 3! mcv@mtvoters.org
* Panel rejects nomination of Andrew McKean as FWP Commissioner: http://bit.ly/3pZNAIh
* Gianforte joins 16 other governors in urging Biden to reverse oil and gas moratorium: https://bit.ly/2Ny0Ff6
* Eastern Montana sees 13 wildfires in January alone: http://bit.ly/3bIScxB
* Protect Our Winters: https://protectourwinters.org/
* Rep. Rosendale introduces FIR Act to reverse Endangered Species Act consultation requirement: http://bit.ly/3qVk4op
* Preview of Sen. Tester on Showtime’s The Circus: https://bit.ly/3bDHrfP

This week former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota joins MCVcast to talk about “reopening dialogue” with rural America through the One Country Project. Plus, Whitney Tawney, Jake Brown, Whitner Chase and Aaron Murphy question the priorities of the Montana Legislature, especially when it comes to disincentivizing renewable energy in the Big Sky State. We also poke holes in Senator Steve Daines’ latest controversial tweet, and Secretary of State Christi Jacobson’s troublesome reason for ending same-day voter registration. LINKS:
* Senate Bill 215: “The Religious Freedom Restoration Act”: http://bit.ly/2Njy1xR
* House Bill 359: “Revising Net Metering Rates:” http://bit.ly/37nfJm7
* House Bill 387: “Revise small energy generation facility requirements and transition costs”: http://bit.ly/3biceyH
* Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen on Montana Talks (rightwing radio show): http://bit.ly/2ZsInxV
* Sen. Daines’ misleading tweet about renewable energy: https://bit.ly/3bmr6MF
* Rep. Matt Rosendale on KGEZ radio: http://bit.ly/2OP9uBo
* MCV-signed letter from conservation orgs, businesses in support of Rep. Deb Haaland’s nomination: https://bit.ly/3prMqVS
* Members of Montana Indian Caucus write Daines & Rosendale: http://bit.ly/3uaJQap
* MCV’s reaction to repeal of controversial LWCF secretarial order: https://bit.ly/3pt0ajj
* USDA predicts robust farm income in 2021: http://bit.ly/3ax0V6t
* The One Country Project: https://onecountryproject.com/
* Federal judge’s Sage Grouse ruling: http://bit.ly/3bnWlHc
* American Prairie Reserve sends bison to South Dakota: http://bit.ly/3avjpEs
* NASA animation of Perseverance landing: https://bit.ly/2ZsRUVR