Flyers misinform
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Editor,
As a farmer on the Flathead Indian Reservation, I recently picked up a flyer put out by “Concerned Citizens of Western Montana.” It says, “What happens if the CSKT Water Rights Go Back to Court? Will I have to Hire a Lawyer?”
The flyer says no. If you believe that I have some swamp ground in Florida I would like to sell.
At a recent meeting of the Montana Farm Bureau Tim Fox said if we have no CSKT compact it could be the most expensive litigation in the history of the AG’s office. Who pays for the AG’s office? You do. Along with it being the most expensive litigation in the history of the AG’s office it may be the most expensive litigation for you personally if you live in the west half of Montana. You will need to hire your own legal counsel because you will need to protect your own water right. In water fights and adjudications across the state people have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars protecting their personal water rights.
Ten thousand Tribal filings will impact water from the Idaho border to the middle of the state, from the Canadian border to the southern border of Montana.
The compact protects state-based water users and makes more water available to Montanans. It protects Montana’s water for Montana.
I keep hearing “Concerned Citizens of Montana” saying that litigation against the tribe and the United States is no big deal. Any time you have to hire a lawyer it is a big deal and this is certainly no exception.
Please take time to support the negotiation process. It is in its final stages. Write the governor and the attorney general. Talk to your legislators. Let them know you support a negotiated agreement and not decades in court.
Susan Lake
Ronan
