Montana
Omicron fuels surge in coronavirus deaths in Montana’s Cascade County
The Metropolis-County Well being Division confirmed 18 extra COVID-19 deaths in Cascade County, together with an unvaccinated man in his 30s with underlying well being circumstances, in keeping with CCHD spokesperson Ben Spencer on Monday.
Of the 18 deaths, one was from early December and the remainder occurred in the course of the omicron surge earlier this 12 months, Spencer stated in an e mail to the Tribune. Virtually all the deaths had confirmed underlying well being circumstances.
CCHD is engaged on one other state-requested information reconciliation that resulted within the deaths being added.
“As with earlier reconciliations, these are deaths that weren’t reported to CCHD as COVID deaths however have been later recognized on loss of life certificates as being brought on by COVID,” Spencer stated. “We then evaluate medical data to both verify COVID as the first trigger or request a modification of the loss of life certificates.”
This brings the whole misplaced within the county to 341 residents.
Approximate Time
Gender
Age Vary
Vaccination Standing
Underlying Well being Circumstances
Early December
M
50s
No
Sure
Late January
F
90s
No
Sure
Late January
M
90s
Sure
Sure
Late January
F
90s
No
Unknown
Late January
M
30s
No
Sure
Mid-February
M
70s
Sure
Sure
Mid-February
F
90s
No
Sure
Mid-February
M
60s
No
Sure
Late February
M
80s
No
Sure
Early March
F
50s
No
Sure
Early March
M
80s
Sure
Sure
Early March
F
80s
No
Sure
Mid-March
F
70s
No
Sure
Mid-March
F
70s
Sure
Sure
Late March
M
80s
Sure
Sure
Early February
M
70s
Sure
Sure
Late January
F
80s
Sure
Sure
Early February
F
80s
Sure
Sure
Benefis Well being System reported two hospitalized sufferers with COVID-19 on Monday, marking no change in affected person inhabitants for the reason that hospital’s final report two weeks in the past.
One affected person is vaccinated and the opposite is unvaccinated, and neither is within the Intensive Care Unit, in keeping with the submit on social media.
The Metropolis-County Well being Division reported on Wednesday that the neighborhood remains to be thought of to have low transmission of the virus, in keeping with requirements from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
CCHD palms out fast residence exams, with every field containing two exams, each weekday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 115 4th St. S. in Nice Falls.
Anybody wanting a vaccine might name CCHD at 406-454-6950 to schedule an appointment. CCHD has appointments obtainable Tuesday-Friday between 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
CCHD requests take a look at outcomes be reported at DPHHS’ reporting web site at montanagovernment-aijle.formstack.com/kinds/montana_covid_home_test_reporting. In case you wouldn’t have web entry, CCHD asks you name the division to report a optimistic outcome. The quantity is (406) 454-6950. It is suggested that optimistic outcomes be confirmed by means of a PCR take a look at.
To order free at-home COVID-19 exams by means of the federal authorities, go to covidtests.gov.
Alluvion Well being introduced that it is going to be formally closing its drive-thru COVID-19 testing web site at Montana Expo Park on April 30.
The drive-thru testing web site at Montana Expo Park will preserve the identical hours by means of April 30:
- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Tuesday and Thursday from 2 p.m.-6 p.m.
Beginning Could 1, Alluvion will proceed to supply PCR testing on the 601 1st Ave. N clinic location. Appointments are inspired for people wishing to keep away from lengthy wait occasions. Appointments may be made prematurely by calling (406) 454-6973.
The state posted 72 new COVID-19 instances on Monday, bringing Montana’s whole energetic confirmed reviews to 512.
Montana reported 3,300 whole deaths and 14 energetic hospitalizations from the virus, in keeping with the state web site covid19.mt.gov.
Cascade County reported three new instances and now has 22 energetic instances.
Of the state’s eligible inhabitants, 55% are totally vaccinated. Of the county’s eligible inhabitants, 51% are totally immunized in opposition to the virus.
The primary case of COVID-19 in Montana was reported on March 11, 2020.
Missoula County reported 16 new COVID-19 instances for a complete of 97 energetic instances. Gallatin County reported 10 new instances for a complete of 84 energetic instances. Yellowstone County reported eight new instances for a complete of 106 energetic instances. Lewis and Clark County added seven new instances for a complete of 19 instances.
An earlier model of this story had the whole variety of Cascade County COVID-19 deaths at 338, when with the up to date quantity from CCHD it’s 341.
Montana
Climate impact analysis procedures among recommendations in MEPA work group's report • Daily Montanan
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Environmental Quality Council might soon analyze climate impacts from energy projects in order to uphold Montanans’ constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment, according to draft recommendations from a workgroup.
The group of 20 people that are looking into ways to clarify and update the Montana Environmental Policy Act was convened in January by the Department of Environmental Quality and consists of lawmakers, energy industry representatives, environmental and conservation groups, tribes, environmental studies experts, and private citizens.
MEPA is a statute passed by Montana lawmakers in 1971 to ensure the legislature is fully considering the environmental impacts of state actions, and is passing laws that uphold the Montana Constitution’s protections of a clean and healthful environment and that the public is informed of them.
The work group’s task is to review how, and if, MEPA should be updated to clarify its role in both protecting the environment and permitting decisions, as well as to try to kickstart methods by which the DEQ can analyze greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts from projects while the Held v. Montana appeal is decided by the Montana Supreme Court this summer.
Last August, Judge Kathy Seeley found a legislative “limitation” to MEPA, which prohibited the state from considering greenhouse gas emissions or climate impacts when permitting energy and mining projects, was unconstitutional because it violated Montanans’ rights to a clean and healthful environment.
The DEQ released the working group’s 40-page draft report last week, and the full group met Wednesday in what was its second-to-last meeting to discuss the recommendations, voice any dissent, and suggest any final tweaks as the department finalizes the report next week. The full group is set to meet one final time on June 27 to sign off on the report.
“I think we’ve landed on a set of recommendations that really reflected the challenges that I feel in MEPA,” said DEQ Director Chris Dorrington. “I don’t agree with all the recommendations as they all come out, I’m just going to be honest. I think there are still things that are very challenging for the agency to both view and implement, and I think that’s fair, too.”
How the report will be utilized
The meeting showed some hardened divides – especially between conservation groups and energy groups – remain about MEPA’s role in the permitting process, how the courts have interpreted challenges under MEPA, how to best analyze emissions and climate impacts, whether the legislature is fulfilling its duties to the constitution and the environment, and what might become reality out from the recommendations.
The working group was divided into three subgroups — climate analysis, MEPA process and applicability, and public engagement and education. Each group developed a list of challenges that needed to be addressed and multiple recommendations on how to do so, which are compiled in the final report.
Subgroup recommends outline to perform climate analyses
MEPA and its underlying permitting statutes are key in determining whether some of the most controversial projects — including mines, power plants like the one NorthWestern Energy is building in Laurel, gravel pits, and wastewater pools — receive permits from the state based on their expected impacts to the environment and nearby residents.
The climate analysis subgroup’s challenge was finding a way for DEQ and other agencies to develop a short-term outline of how they could perform climate analyses in the MEPA process while the Held appeal is still pending and before the legislature convenes next January. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case on July 10.
The subgroup came up with two recommendations. The first says the DEQ should draft an interim study bill asking the Environmental Quality Council to look at different models to analyze climate impacts and a statutory framework that will hold up regardless of how the court rules in Held.
“While the Legislature will likely contemplate other MEPA legislation in 2025, this interim study can encourage legislators from both sides of the aisle to have an open mind and thoughtfully weigh the pros and cons to certain approaches on climate analysis,” the draft report says.
The second says DEQ should consider “the reasonably foreseeable (greenhouse gas) emissions of a proposed action” alongside a no-action alternative and “any reasonable alternatives.”
The draft report says the DEQ should assume that either part or all of Seeley’s decision in Held will be upheld by the Supreme Court and should take the time before the decision comes down to estimate costs of those analyses, how many employees it might need to perform them, and to study how other states or municipalities perform climate analyses.
But the report also notes there is disagreement about what type of climate analyses should be used by the state, a risk of litigation over which are chosen, and that the Republican-supermajority legislature – which strengthened the prohibition on climate analysis during last year’s session ahead of the Held trial – has “strong feelings” about climate analyses.
There was some disagreement about what the DEQ could do on its own without guidance from the legislature next year, and whether an interim study would be effective.
“I think we’re going to still be talking about climate analysis in two years, in four years, in 10 years. That doesn’t mean there won’t be action, but this won’t be decided on one point and then never discussed again,” Bennion said.
Report recommends more clarity on MEPA process for public
The public engagement, education and outreach subgroup found the department needed to better clarify for the public what type of public meetings should be held for various types of projects to cut down on confusion and set expectations from the beginning.
It also found that over the years, the legislature has not funded the EQC adequately enough to continue internal education and training on MEPA, nor updated resources for the public about how the process works. The group recommended adding at least one full-time staffer who could perform such work.
The group also recommended clarifying what type of comments the DEQ is asking for when it comes to the public review process and suggested building a clearinghouse of educational materials on MEPA on the DEQ’s website to make the laws more readily understandable.
The MEPA process and applicability subgroup found there needs to be a better public understanding of the types of actions, assessments, and reviews are required under MEPA.
Recommendation to re-organize MEPA statutes met with contention by some
But another subgroup also recommended the legislature re-organize the MEPA statutes “to clarify the legislative intent that MEPA is procedural, and distinctly different from the substantive statutes that regulate environmental impacts.”
For years conservation and environmental groups have argued whether MEPA has been about the procedures for permitting projects or meant to outline environmental policy.
“MEPA, neither in its original construction nor through amendment was ever intended to provide the substantive protections guaranteed in the Constitution; but rather to provide a transparent public process in which to analyze and disclose potential threats to the human environment,” the draft report says.
The subgroup also recommended that the legislature change the language of MEPA so it “clearly limits the ability of procedural challenges to hold up permits that could otherwise be issued.” It also recommends changing MEPA analyses so that they include “a balanced view of social, economic, and environmental impacts” – a nod to impacts businesses might face as permits are held up or denied.
The report notes some of the subgroup members disagreed about whether the legislature needed to re-write the laws, but Darryl James, a consultant for energy companies who co-led the subgroup, said the act should merely specify the procedures the agency must follow.
The Montana Environmental Information Center’s Anne Hedges told him the group would write a strong dissent to the recommendation and that she believed the group was attempting to re-write 25 years of case law and “trying to pretend those (court) decisions didn’t happen.”
Montana Trout Unlimited’s Clayton Elliott broke up the back-and-forth between the two by suggesting the work group should consider more public outreach before moving to have the legislature reorganize or re-write the laws.
“When I read your recommendation, it sort of seems like we’re pursuing the most aggressive treatment for the problem rather than starting with aspirin,” Elliott said.
James said he agreed more outreach should be the first step before putting pen to paper on those plans.
The work group will have to send their written dissents and opinions to DEQ by the end of the week for those to go into the final report, which will likely be released to the public by the end of next week.
The public comment portal for the draft report will remain open until June 17 for people to submit their own thoughts on the proposals, and the group is set to meet at 4 p.m. on June 27 to sign off on the report.
FINALDRAFT_Recommendations_Complete
Montana
Beartooth Highway to open through Cooke City on June 1
Weather-permitting, the Beartooth Highway will open in its entirety through Cooke City on Saturday, June 1, according to Yellowstone National Park officials.
The highway is currently open for 19 miles from Red Lodge to Vista Point on the Montana side. Crews are plowing wet, heavy snow that is about six feet deep on the highway.
Beartooth Highway was initially scheduled to open the Friday before Memorial Day, May 24, but a late snowstorm made driving conditions too difficult.
Check for road status and updates on the Montana [mdt.mt.gov] and Wyoming [dot.state.wy.us] departments of transportation websites.
Montana
Study of Clark Fork shows pollution more widespread than previously thought
Preliminary results from a study of pollution in the Clark Fork River show toxic pollutants are more widespread than previously thought.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, in collaboration with other state agencies, Trout Unlimited, the Clark Fork Coalition and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes took water and fish tissue samples along the Clark Fork from Butte to the Idaho border in 2023.
They then tested those samples for a suite of toxic compounds known to cause cancers, reproductive issues and immune system damage when ingested.
The researchers found elevated concentrations of the toxins downstream of Butte in the Bearmouth area, below Drummond in the Flint Creek drainage, in the Upper Blackfoot River, around the site of the former Smurfit-Stone Mill, and the Plains to Thompson Falls areas.
Trevor Selch, a water pollution biologist with FWP, says this is the first step in an ongoing study.
“We were looking at, you know, kind of bookending different major drainages of this system. And so now we’ve been able to isolate that. It’ll definitely take additional work to really identify where the contamination is coming from,” Selch said.
These toxic compounds are associated with industrial activities, or forest fire runoff, but Selch says pinpointing their sources in the Clark Fork is the ultimate goal of this work.
FWP expects to release the results of the fish tissue sample next month. Depending on what that shows, Selch says they may have to expand fish consumption advisories.
Advisories are already in place on 148 miles of Clark Fork from the Bitterroot to the confluence with the Flathead River to protect human health.
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