Tentative March 22 Date Set
A group of 27 eastern Montana citizens traveled by bus to demonstrate to the court the critical nature of the Intake diverson project at the injunction hearing in 2015. Pictured L to R: Tony Barone, Greg Anderson, Steve Pust, Don Steinbeisser Jr., Leslie Messer, Kristin Kennedy, Tracy Garland, Kim Nollmeyer, Dale Danielson, Katie Dasinger, Mark Iversen, Conrad Conradsen, Russ Fullmer, Hugo Asbeck, Jerry Bergman, Cody Fulton, Brad Franklin, Cathy Kirkpatrick, Mike Francingues, Shane Gorder, Tim Fine, Wade Whiteman, Doug Voll, Scott Staffanson and Greg Breuer.
Although the date has not yet been confirmed, the judge in Great Falls who is deciding the fate of the fish bypass and diversion dam at Intake, has set a date of March 22 for a hearing on the motion filed by the Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation and the US Fish and Wildlife Service to allow completion of the project. The plaintiffs in the case have asked to have that date postponed until April 5.
Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project is happy that the judge will be making his decision before the April 15 deadline, which is critical in moving forward with the project to ensure funds are still available.
In his deliberations, the judge must consider whether the injunction requested by the plaintiffs will harm the community. Therefore, a strong showing of support from the local community will be critical in convincing the judge that he needs to protect the needs of this community over the wishes of others in the U.S.
The more people who can attend the hearing, the more impact it will have on the judge's decision.
LYIP is arranging buses to go to Great Falls and will notify the public as soon as the date is set. Meals will also be provided. Project manager James Brower emphasized the need for participation from all aspects of the region, stating, "This is the most critical hearing we will have due to the April 15 deadline."
Participants will not be allowed to wear their yellow t-shirts. Attire must be appropriate for court, helping the judge to recognize and respect the needs of our local community.
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