Tribal management of bison range considered

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last week announced it is assessing the feasibility of tribal management of the National Bison Range and other government refuges in the Mission Valley.

The service on Monday announced publication of the draft environmental assessment that would allow the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to manage and implement the biological, maintenance, public use, and fire management programs on the National Bison Range Complex in Moiese.

The assessment addresses the National Bison Range, Ninepipe and Pablo National Wildlife refuges, and nine waterfowl production areas. All of these units are public lands within Lake and Sanders counties and within the tribal boundaries.

The tribes requested negotiations for an agreement in November 2010 under the authority of the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act. The federal government then developed the draft agreement to explore a more full partnership agreement with the tribes that would allow the tribes to take part in the refuge programs that are of special geographic, historical, or cultural significance.

The tribes have been pursuing management of the federal sites on the Salish-Kootenai Reservation and said this was a long-awaited announcement.

“The National Bison Range occupies a special place not only within the Flathead Indian Reservation, but also within the history and culture of the tribes,” Tribal Chairman Ronald Trahan said. “Regardless of how you approach the issue, partnering with the tribes makes sense.”

 This would be the third self-governance agreement at the refuge complex. The first one was cancelled by the service in 2006. That cancellation was contested by the Tribes, resulting in a second agreement that was signed by Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne in 2008. That agreement was later rescinded by a federal court, with the court finding that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service had not adequately explained its invocation of a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act when it had approved the 2008 agreement.

The draft environmental assessment released last week seeks to provide a fuller analysis for the service’s decision regarding the new agreement it has negotiated with the tribes.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has prepared the assessment to evaluate the environmental consequences of the proposed agreement, in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The service also developed and analyzed four alternatives for public consideration and comment. Each alternative would allow the tribes to manage or assist with programs, services, functions, and activities on the refuge complex to various degrees for a term of five years.

Comments from the public will be taken on the draft assessment during a 30-day public review period.The document can be downloaded at www.fws.gov/bisonrange.

Comments should be specific and reference the relevant document section where possible. Comments may be submitted by e-mail to bisonrange@fws.gov or mailed to National Bison Range, 58355 Bison Range Road, Moiese, MT 59824.