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News:
Yaak Wings Walk Sept. 12 (posted 9/1/2020)
Yaak Wings Walk will be held on Saturday, September 12th. Meet at the Yaak Rod and Gun Club at 9AM. For information to pledge, donate, participate, before or after walk, contact Roberta Deneau, 406-295-7328, yaakwingswalkers@gmail.com.
Kayakers at Kootenai Falls (posted 9/1/2020)
Becky Kosena and her family, from Kalispell Montana, visited Kootenai Falls on August 29th and were surprised to see a group of kayakers braving going over the falls. "We watched them drop over the falls one by one," she said. The falls can be extremely dangerous and a number of people have lost their lives attempting to go over the rushing water. The movie, "The River Wild" (1994) was filmed here, as well as a portion of the movie, "The Revenant" (2015). Click on this link for a photo going over the falls.
Update on Libby Asbestos Superfund site in Libby (posted 9/1/2020)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
LIBBY, MONTANA (September 1, 2020) – Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) lodged a proposed Consent Decree in which BNSF will agree to future Operation and Maintenance (O&M) and institutional controls associated with Operable Unit (OU) 6 of the Libby Asbestos Superfund site in Libby, Montana.
Under the proposed agreement, BNSF will develop institutional controls for the area to ensure the remedy remains protective and will implement best practices to reduce the potential for exposure. Protective measures include securing properties, limiting unauthorized entry and minimizing the potential for the disturbance of soils in the approximately 42 miles of right-of-way in OU6. OU6 is comprised of railroad rail line, right-of-way, and rail yards located in Libby and Troy, all property owned by BNSF. EPA does not anticipate any further cleanup requirements within OU6.
"This proposed agreement is a significant achievement," said EPA Region 8 Administrator Gregory Sopkin. "It will ensure that BNSF maintains the long-term protectiveness of the remedy already in place for OU6 and reflects the progress made to protect community members and workers from exposure to Libby Amphibole asbestos."
The U.S. Department of Justice has published a formal notice in the Federal Register and will accept public comment on the proposed Consent Decree for a period of thirty days from the date the notice is published. Under State law, Montana DEQ is also required to hold a public comment period (http://deq.mt.gov/Public/publiccomment) on the Consent Decree, which will run concurrently.
To comment on the Consent Decree, please email: pubcomment-ees.enrd@usdoj.gov
For more information about the Libby Superfund site, visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/libby-asbestos
Masks required upon entry
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Governor Bullock issues statewide mask mandate for Montana (posted 7/17/2020)
For all persons ages 5 and up in indoor public places, effective until state of emergency is declared over
Montana Governor Bullock issued a statewide mask mandate on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. Executive Orders 2-2020 and 3-2020 declare that a state of emergency exists in Montana due to the global outbreak of COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. COVID-19 is an easily transmissible, potentially fatal respiratory illness that spreads in the air through droplets from infected persons. COVID-19 is transmissible even by individuals who are not currently showing symptoms of the disease and who do not know they are infected.
The order requires wearing a face covering over the nose and mouth and applies to counties with four or more active cases, effective immediately. The Governor’s directive states that use of a fabric covering over the mouth and nose is an effective means of limiting the potential for transmission to others by both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals infected with the virus. "Recent research suggests that universal use of face coverings in enclosed public spaces would substantially reduce the spread of COVID-19."
It applies to certain indoor business settings that are open to the public and outdoor gatherings with 50 or more people when distancing is not possible.
Face Covering Requirement in Indoor Spaces Open to the Public
Except as provided in section 4 of the Directive, all businesses, government offices, or other persons responsible for indoor spaces open to the public shall require and take reasonable measures to ensure that all employees, contractors, volunteers, customers, or other members of the public wear a face covering that covers their mouth and nose at all times while entering or remaining in any indoor spaces open to the public.
Face coverings shall be provided for all employees and volunteers.
All points of entry open to the public shall have a clearly visible sign posted stating: "Mask or face covering use required for ages five and older."
Face Covering Requirements for Certain Organized Outdoor Activities
Except as provided in section 4 of the Directive, for any organized outdoor activity where social distancing is not possible or is not observed, sponsors shall require and take reasonable measures to ensure that all persons attending an organized outdoor activity wear a face covering that covers their mouth and nose at all times.
This section applies only where the nature of the organized outdoor activity makes it impracticable for all attendees to maintain at least six feet of physical distance from each other, or any organized outdoor activity where attendees are not observing at least six feet of physical distance from others.
At all outdoor gatherings of 50 or more people, whether or not it constitutes an organized outdoor activity, all individuals except those covered by section 4 of this Directive are required to wear face coverings while in attendance where it is impracticable to maintain six feet of physical distance at all times, or whether attendees are not observing at least six feet of physical distance from others.
Exceptions
Businesses, government offices, other persons responsible for indoor spaces open to the public, and sponsors of organized outdoor activities are not required to ensure the following individuals wear face coverings:
Children under the age of five. All children between the ages of two and four, however, are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering in accordance with the provisions of this Directive. Children under the age of two should not wear a face covering.
Persons consuming food or drinks in an establishment that offers food or drinks for sale.
Persons engaged in an activity that makes wearing a face covering impractical or unsafe such as strenuous physical exercise or swimming.
Persons seeking to communicate with someone who is hearing impaired.
Persons giving a speech or engaging in an artistic, cultural, musical, or theatrical performance for an audience, provided the audience is separated by at least six feet of distance.
Persons temporarily removing their face covering for identification purposes.
Persons required to remove face coverings for the purpose of receiving medicalevaluation, diagnosis, or treatment.
Persons who have a medical condition precluding the safe wearing of a face covering.
Enforcement
This Directive is enforceable only against businesses and other persons who are responsible for indoor spaces open to the public, or sponsors of organized outdoor activities as defined in this Directive.
Local public health agencies and law enforcement should focus their enforcement of this Directive on education, providing warnings and education about the risk of transmission, while reserving the imposition of penalties, trespass enforcement, and other formal enforcement mechanisms for only the most egregious, repeat violations that put the public at risk.
Businesses, other persons responsible for indoor spaces open to the public, and sponsors of organized outdoor activities may deny entry, refuse service, or ask to leave any person, except those provided for in section 4 of this Directive, who refuse to wear a face covering. If such a person refuses to wear a face covering and refuses to leave the premises, a peace officer may enforce the State’s trespassing laws and any other laws the person may violate.
The state of Montana has had 2,231 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 35 deaths as of the time of this report. Lincoln County has had 40 confirmed cases and 1 death.
This Directive is effective immediately (July 15, 2020) and expires at the end of the declared state of emergency in Executive Orders 2-2020 and 3-2020.
Cabinet Peaks Medical Center made 'Mask Required Upon Entry' signs and they are available free for Libby Chamber members for pick up at the Libby Area Chamber of Commerce office.
Read the full mask order directive here.
Libby
lies in the northwest corner of Montana and is nestled in a valley carved by the
Kootenai River on the flank of the majestic Cabinet Mountain Range and Wilderness
Area. Today
about 2,800 people live within Libby proper. The main industries are lumber and
wood products, mining, tourism and recreation. The movies "The River Wild" and
"Always" were filmed here. Contact the Libby
Chamber of Commerce for brochures, info on lodging and events, general area
information, and contact information for local businesses and services.
SUMMER
When the weather warms and the mountain
snows melt away, the Kootenai National Forest comes alive with over 2.2
million acres of public land as a playground. Mountain trails and lakes
open up, beautiful wildflowers come in bloom, and wildlife have their young.
Libby is the basecamp for the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area, 90-mile
long Lake Koocanusa, the Northwest Peaks Scenic Area, and the Ten Lakes
Scenic Area. There is good access to most of the Forest and plenty of room
to get away from it all!
WINTER
Winter in Montana means snow, and lots
of it! For those who love to play in the deep powder, the Libby area offers tremendous
winter fun. Turner Mountain Ski Area, located
just 22 miles from Libby, offers challenging downhill skiing with a beautiful
view. Their slogan is "steep, deep and cheap", and Turner definitely
lives up to that. It's still fairly undiscovered, so you can escape the crowds
and get the cheapest lift tickets around. For those who love snowmobiling,
there are hundreds of miles of backcountry roads to sled on in the Kootenai National
Forest. Cross-country skiers and ice fishermen also can find solitude on a lake
and miles of quiet forest trails to enjoy the outdoors. Those who are a bit on
the wild and crazy side will love the antics of the Libby Polar Bear Club.
Members take winter-time "swims" in frigid Libby Creek every Sunday
from October to April. Plungers have ranged in age from 3 to 61. As long as the
ice can be broken on the creek, if it has formed, the group will take their plunge,
no matter the temperature.
These people must be
craaaazzzzzy!
Libby
Polar Bear Club
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