Letters on Monitoring: Martz & Baucus
Lakers to Governor Judy Martz12 November 2001 Governor Judy Martz
Executive Office State Capitol
PO Box 200801
Helena, MT 59620-0801 Re: State funding for long-term Flathead Basin water quality monitoring program
Dear Governor Martz: The Flathead Lakers have long advocated for water quality monitoring in Flathead Lake and its tributaries. We are concerned about funding shortfalls that may jeopardize the monitoring program. The Lakers is a grassroots conservation organization, with over 1,000 members, working to protect water quality. As a past Lakers' president, Dick Wollin, so aptly described it, "Flathead Lake is a mirror that reflects how well we are living in balance with our environment." Monitoring is the tool that tells us how well we are doing, and that warns us when problems are beginning so actions to correct them can be taken. Flathead Lake and its tributaries have been continuously monitored for over two decades by the Flathead Lake Biological Station at Yellow Bay, making it one of the longest lake monitoring records in the nation. The complexity of this large lake and river system requires the expertise, facilities and reputation for excellence the biological station provides to not only gather the needed data, but interpret what it means. Based on past monitoring information, the State of Montana has declared the water quality in Flathead Lake impaired. Two major lake-wide algae blooms have occurred in the past. Lower than normal levels of oxygen have been found in Big Arm Bay. Long-time residents are noticing more algae on shoreline rocks. The cumulative impacts of numerous, dispersed sources of polluted runoff could, if unchecked, push the quality of Flathead Lake over a threshhold into dramatic decline, where algae blooms become the norm rather than the exception. In the past, the citizens of the Flathead Valley have heeded the warning signals monitoring has provided by improving our sewage treatment plants and banning phosphate-containing detergents. More recently, those signals led the Flathead Basin Commission to develop TMDL targets and a program to reduce nutrients reaching our waters from non-point sources. The Flathead Lakers have initiated a collaborative project with agencies and other organizations to identify and protect or restore those lands most critical to maintaining and improving water quality. And there are many other examples of agencies, organizations and individuals taking steps to help reverse the decline in water quality. Without monitoring, we cannot assess the effectiveness of measures taken to improve water quality. We understand limited funding is available to satisfy many needs. However, Flathead Lake is a national and state treasure and an economic asset to the valley and the state. The cost of monitoring water quality in Flathead Lake and its tributaries is minimal compared to the $30 million the federal government committed to clean up Lake Tahoe and the $14 million needed to reduce nutrient pollution in the Clark Fork River. State funding for the water quality monitoring program has long been, and continues to be, essential. The Flathead Lakers greatly appreciate the state's contribution to the program in past years. The 1999 Legislature approved $100,000 for the program for the biennium. The Flathead Lakers, the Flathead Lake Biological Station, and Sen. Bob Keenen and Rep. Stan Fisher all worked for and believed similar funding had been approved by the 2001 Legislature. However, the language of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Amendment to HB2 does not indicate the EPA 104(b)(3) funds expected can be used to fund the ongoing water quality monitoring program. Last spring, Sen. Keenen asked DEQ to explain what these funds could be used for and if that included the Flathead Water Quality Monitoring Program. Art Compton replied (copy enclosed) that the funds must be used for "priority TMDL monitoring and assessment projects." We are still unsure whether the existing monitoring program qualifies for these funds, and whether they can be targeted for the Flathead or must be used for state-wide priorities. During your visit to the Flathead Lake Biological Station with the Board of Regents last summer, you eloquently described the value and importance of Flathead Lake. We would greatly appreciate your help in this matter to assure that the funds that can be designated for the Flathead monitoring program are provided to the program as was the intent of the local legislators. Sincerely, Robin Steinkraus
Executive Director Sid Rundell
President cc: Sen. Bob Keenan
Rep. Stan Fisher
Sen. Mike Taylor
Rep. John Brueggeman
Rep. Elaine Sliter
Rep. Roger Somerville
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10 January 2002 Robin Steinkraus, Executive Director
Sid Rundell, President
Flathead Lakers
PO Box 70 Polson, MT 59860 Dear Robin and Sid: Thank you for your letter on state funding for water quality monitoring in Flaathead Lake. As you know, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has provided a host of funding elements for water quality related activities on Flathead. In addition to about $117,000 in Clean Water Act section 319 and 104(b)(3) funds for specific projects, DEQ has provided $30,000 each year for general WQ monitoring. In state FY1997, $40,000 was provided, although DEQ has not been able to provide the extra $10,000 since then. During the last legislative session, a request was made by local legislators to include in agency spending authorizations an additional $100,000 in monies to support general monitoring. This request was made in March of 2001, well after the agencies' budget subcommittees had already finished their deliberations and provided legislative decision-makers with their recommendations. All DEQ could do at this late date was look for a band-aid approach to providing additional monitoring monies. Aware that the 319 funds requested were already committed to applicants under the Non Point Source grant program, DEQ identified 104(b)(3) funds as virtually the only possible source for additional monies. EPA has rigorous criteria for the expenditure of these funds; this year they were used for priority TMDL development aactivities. However, DEQ committed to working with federal officials to allow for their use to support the stated monitoring needs on Flathead Lake. I am confident that DEQ would have been successful in their efforts. However, EPA has informed DEQ that supplemental section 106 funds will be received that are not similarly restricted. DEQ now intends to use these funds to provide additional monitoring support. DEQ also intends to attempt to earmark additional monitoring funds for the next biennium in a more timely fashion, through the State's Executive Planning Process, which begins this summer. The Budget Director has advised agencies not to expect that general funds will be available for any new proposals. It is possible that any supplemental section 106 funding received next biennium could be used to provide additional support. The key is to start planning early. Thanks for your ongoing advocacy for the protection of Flathead Lake. I look forward to working with you and the exectuvie branch agencies to aid your efforts with whatever assistance we can reasonably provide. Sincerely, JUDY MARTZ Governor cc: Jan Sensibaugh, Director, DEQ
Art Compton, DEQ
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21 June 2001 The Honorable Max Baucus
United States Senate
511 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510 Dear Max: I enjoyed meeting you and hearing you express your concerns regarding the financial and environmental well-being of northwestern Montana at the Biological Station on June 9. In the context of we all learn something every day, I was pleased to discover that you were one of the prime movers behind the Flathead River Basin Study. The resultant Flathead Basin Commission and its initiatives are very important to maintaining the integrity of Flathead Lake's water quality and the economic health of our region. Thank you for your leadership! My participation in the recent Biological Station gathering, as well as Chuck Mercord's, was attributable to our board of director positions with the Flathead Lakers. As you may remember, the Flathead Lakers is a citizen-based, nonprofit organization (1,000+ members) committed to working for clean water, a healthy ecosystem, and lasting quality of life in the Flathead Basin. Jim Foley expressed familiarity with the goals of our organization. While the Lakers support the general mission of the Flathead Lake Biological Station (FLBS) and specifically its water quality research, our organization would place special emphasis and priority on long term funding for monitoring Flathead Lake's water quality. This is item two in Jack's June 9, 2001 letter to you. As you know, the FLBS has been monitoring water quality in Flathead Lake and its tributaries continuously since 1977. Analysis and interpretation of this data represents a national knowledge base for large freshwater lake systems and is of critical importance to inform water quality protection and improvement efforts throughout the basin. It would truly be a shame to lose the continuity and integrity of the Flathead Lake Monitoring Program becuase of lack of funding for a program that costs only $80,000 per year. The Flathead Lakers encourage you and your colleagues from Montana to immediately find EPA funding to channel to the FLBS for Flathead Lake monitoring. We hope your Montana colleagues, Conrad and Denny, will share our passion for keeping Flathead Lake clean and healthy, as it significantly affects the economic well-being and quality of life of northwestern Montana. Thank you very much for your consideration of our thoughts and request. If you have any questions, please don't hestitate to contact me. I will contact your office as a follow-up in several weeks. Sincerely, Sid Rundell
President
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http://www.senate.gov/~baucus 1 October 2001 Mr. Sid Rundell, President
Flathead Lakers
PO Box 70
Polson, Montana 59860-0070 Dear Sid: Like you, I want to do everything I can to ensure that Flathead Lake is healthy. A big part of that effort has to include effective monitoring of the lake and its tributaries. After our June 9 meeting, I agreed to do what I could to help find funding to continue monitoring the water quality in Flathead Lake and its tributaries. I have since looked for funding on two fronts. First, my staff and I have begun searching for funding through federal agencies and programs that provide grants for similar projects. Specficially, we are looking at the EPA's Clean Lakes Program and the provisions of the Clean Water Act. Second, I have started looking at the fiscal year 2003 appropriations cycle with the hope of securing a project specific appropriation to monitor the lake. Unfortunately, I feel that the prospect of securing funding in this cycle is waning, especially in light of the budget constraints that have come as a result of our efforts to bolster the economy and combat terrorism in the wake of the September 11 attacks. My efforts are continuing on both fronts, however, and although finding funds in the near term may prove difficult, I am committed to helping find a long term solution for the situation we face. As we mentioned at the lake in June, this is a non-partisan, Montana-specific issue. I will do my part to make sure that the entire Montana delegation works together to find a way to continue the monitoring of Flathead Lake. Finally, Sid, I want to thank you and all the Lakers for your resolve to promote a healthy aquatic enviornment in and around Flathead Lake. Sincerely, Max Baucus
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