Hello Supporter,

This past year we have seen many challenges threatening to undo protections for our national parks, free-roaming wildlife, healthy habitats, and clean air and water. But, we've also seen many successes (see map). Thank you to all who have either donated hard-earned money or taken the time to send comments. We need both to be successful.

Coalbed Methane victory – at last!

The J.M. Huber Corporation has given up its efforts to drill for coalbed methane in the Bozeman Pass and Bridger Canyon area, east of Bozeman. J.M. Huber had acquired mineral leases over 18,000 acres in the area, and indicated it planned up to 130 production wells had they found commercial quantities of coalbed methane. Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Nov. 28, 2006

The predominately agricultural and rural residential area is the eastern gateway to Bozeman and home to black bear, mountain lion, elk, and deer. This area provides a crucial migration route for wildlife moving between Greater Yellowstone and mountain ranges to the north.

In early 2002, the J.M. Huber Corporation filed two lawsuits against Gallatin County shortly after the County's Planning and Zoning Commission denied Huber's conditional use permit to drill an exploratory well for coalbed methane. The Greater Yellowstone Coalition and the Bridger Canyon Property Owners Association intervened on Gallatin County's behalf.

Today, we can celebrate the dismissal of these lawsuits!

Idaho Voters Overwhelmingly Defeat Prop 2

The lopsided vote on November 7th sent a clear message that Idaho voters did not support the radical re-write of Idaho's land use laws pushed by New York City real estate tycoon Howie Rich. The stunning defeat by a 76% to 24% margin was the culmination of a Herculean effort by the conservation community and others to protect Idaho’s land, waters and wildlife.

Prop 2 was a bait-and-switch campaign that would have drastically changed the character of Idaho’s neighborhoods and rural lands by allowing speculators to dodge local land-use regulations, triggering unregulated and unplanned development. The measure would have gutted local planning and zoning regulations and set Idaho back decades in responsibly managing growth and development.

The campaign opposing Prop 2 was the broadest and most diverse coalition ever formed in Idaho. Idahoans from all corners of the state and all political persuasions joined with business and civic leaders, conservation groups, local chambers of commerce, elected officials and neighborhood associations to defeat Prop 2.

Former GYC board member Will Whelan said it best, “This victory will be defined by what will not happen. Today, we can't point to any new lines drawn on a map, no new land management designations. But, Proposition 2 would have crushed our ability to even have victories in dealing with the challenges of growth for at least a generation.”

Judge Tells Forest Service "Look before you Leap"

A U.S. district court found in favor of wolverine and other high alpine winter creatures last month with a decision requiring the Forest Service to fully examine the effects of granting 1200 "skier-days" to a heli-ski business operating in the Palisades Wilderness Study Area of Wyoming In 1984, when the Palisades was designated a Wilderness Study Area, only about 40 helicopter skier-days were used by the business. The wilderness act requires that the Forest Service maintain the wilderness qualities in these areas.

The judge also ordered the heli-ski operator to sit down in talks with GYC and our conservation partners to come up with a plan that protects the wilderness nature of the area while allowing the business to continue operating. Lloyd Dorsey, GYC Jackson, WY representative was "eager and willing to sit down and hammer out a well-balanced solution to this issue.”

... And Many More

	GYC's work over the last year has improved habitat for fish and wildlife and retained open spaces across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Full sized map.

Visit our website for a full view of our 2006 Successes Map.

You can read more about our busy year in the winter 2006 edition of the Greater Yellowstone Report. Download the full report, or read the articles online.

Please become a member, and join us in defending Yellowstone, America's symbol of park stewardship.

If you already are a member, please consider a generous year-end donation to help us fight these proposed changes to the policies which govern our National Parks.

Contact Us:
gyc@greateryellowstone.org
Greater Yellowstone Coalition Membership
P.O. Box 1874
Bozeman, MT 59771

(406) 586-1593

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