Martha Williams is at a crossroads. My primary concern on the surface is not her as an individual, Parsons told me. The committee has not yet scheduled a vote on Williams nomination. The new tool should aid in snowpack and drought monitoring. Joining is simple and doesnt need to cost a lot: You can become a sustaining member for as little as $3 or $5 a month. Ausband was among a group of officials from Idaho, Montana, and Yellowstone National Park who gathered each year to sort out which packs belonged to which jurisdictions. Scott Creel, a large carnivore population ecologist with Montana State University, has also found problems in the states model, describing considerable doubt about the accuracy of population estimates from the iPOM in a critique published last year. Search for volunteer opportunities around the country, News about wonderful wild things and places, FWS is taking steps to mitigate climate impacts, Search employment opportunities with USFWS. Fish and Wildlife Service. The timing was critical. By most accounts, grizzly bear populations have reached levels where they could be removed from federal protection. Wildlife and natural resource conservation rests with all of us, she said. Williams was appointed to the Service as Principal Deputy Director in January 2021. Greg Gianforte's cabinet was also named today. These issues are hard but we are lucky that people care about them, so that we have engagement so that even if it seems tense at first, I learned how key it is to just loosen that knot and to just get conversations started, she said. In 2020, during Williamss final year as FWPs director, Montana began using a new system to estimate its wolf population: the integrated patch occupancy model iPOM, for short. Sign up for our free daily newsletter to get unbiased, independent Montana news sent directly to you. Montana Free Press is rooted in Montana, and its thanks to readers like you who love our state that our nonprofit newsroom continues to grow. Williams has received the support of both of Montanas senators. Fish and Wildlife Service director; Mike Finley, Yellowstone superintendent; and Bruce Babbitt, secretary of the interior, in January 1995. As director of U.S. We cant take wolf recovery for granted. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced $10 million in fiscal year 2023 funds from President Bidens Bipartisan Infrastructure Lawto support over 50 projects in western states to restore and conserve strategic areas within thesagebrushecosystem. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. He then went on to sign Browns bill and a half dozen other measures targeting the states most iconic predator. Thats a really important part of what we do. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Cremation has taken place, and a memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, at Messiah Lutheran Church with Pastor Sean Janssen officiating. In the early days, Ausband explained, monitoring wolves in the Northern Rockies was straightforward. She previously served as the 24th director of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks from 2017 to 2020. Williams was appointed to head FWP by former Gov. The Federal Indian Child Welfare Act is at risk. Preceding her appointment, she served as the Director of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks from 2017 to 2020. Zinkes effort failed due to Sheehans lack of ascience degree. Get MTFP's in-depth, independent reporting sent to your inbox every weekday morning. During the Obama Administration, Williams served as Deputy Solicitor Parks and Wildlife at the Department of the Interior for two years, providing counsel to the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service on issues arising in parks and recreation, fish and wildlife, environmental protection, natural resources assessment and restoration, and land and water conservation law. While there, she focused on natural resources law, public land and resources law and wildlife law. Williams is the second Montana woman to assume a high-profile leadership role in President Bidens Interior Department. Fish and Wildlife Service in a voice vote late yesterday evening. Now a top federal official, Williamss supporters are pulling her in divergent directions, while critics are questioning her credentials and calling on her to step down entirely. 2023 Montana's independent nonprofit news source. Donate during our spring fundraiser and support quality independent journalism. Martha Williams, the current principal deputy director at USFWS, also told the U.S. Senate committee she believes conservation is a shared responsibility. You will be directed to the following website in 5 seconds: We hope your visit was informative and enjoyable. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. As State Director, Williams delivered leadership that embraced the diversity of Montanas natural resources and outdoor recreational values that also incorporated public expectations and values into the agencys direction. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., pressed Williams on whether grizzly bears should be delisted around Yellowstone National Park. It was like a slow decay, Ausband said. Lawmakers suspended their rules to allow for House Bill 971s introduction and passed the measure along party lines. Every little piece and investment allows people to build support for the refuges and to see that we care about investing in them, too, people and communities. It recognizes the need to build on existing tools, like Partners for Fish and Wildlife and Sentinel Landscapes, programs that are all about voluntary efforts, locally led efforts where we add value and provide technical assistance to work happening within local communities. HELENA Former Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park Director Martha Williams was sworn in as Director of the U.S. This page is not available in other languages. Nalivkas Pizza was a favorite treat, and she also loved lefse and Diet Coke. There she oversaw management of nearly 700 employees and more than 50 state parks. The balance is seeing the issue of predators in the Westgrizzly bears and wolvesfrom the perspective of the people who have lived there for generations coupled with the perspectives of others in the United States and the world who see it differently because theyre not living with those species. How Williams navigated the requirement is unclear. and last updated 12:22 PM, Mar 09, 2022. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, the former director of Montanas state wildlife agency, She appeared Wednesday before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Protests and arrests at Helena Capitol in support of Zooey Zephyr, Helena man dies in motorcycle crash in residential neighborhood, Townsend man dies a day after eating Dave's Sushi; cause of death not yet confirmed, 7 arrested at Capitol in protest as trans legislator again blocked on House floor, Downtown Helena's Alive at Five concert lineup set for 2023 season, Zephyr committees scuttled day after her ban from the House floor, Gianfortes son one of many lobbying governor against trans bills, Trans lawmaker Zooey Zephyr banned from House chamber after supporting protesters, UPDATE: House GOP leadership plans vote on 'disciplinary consequences' against Zephyr, 'Blood on your hands': Montana lawmaker's words not unusual, Helena commission considering citywide fee increases for services, 'Two more go up in its place': Posters supporting marginalized groups torn down at Carroll, saw Republicans calling for her nomination to be withdrawn, Montana trust land revenue tops $107 million, Drought effects linger as Montana heads into colder months, Montana ballot initiative at center of controversial FEC decision, New approach aims to offer holistic picture of Montana's snowpack, Montana's AG files suit over Biden immigration policy, Montana hunters prep for first traditional muzzleloader season, New Mexico woman enters plea deal over threat to trappers' association, Williams confirmed to lead US Fish and Wildlife Service, Biden addresses journalists detained abroad at Correspondents' Dinner, Sudan's rival forces vie for control, risking prolonged conflict, 5 killed in Texas shooting, sheriff expands search for suspect, Video: Rally in support of Missoula Rep. Zooey Zephyr. Senate revives, and advances, charter school bills, Gianforte signs gender-affirming care ban for transgender minors, Senate majority leader falls short in anti-pork crusade, appointed to become the federal agencys principal deputy director, nominating her to take the agencys top post, took the helm of the Bureau of Land Management, Abortion clinics sue state over new restrictions on Medicaid coverage, Bill banning greenhouse gas analysis from permitting decisions heads to governor, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Just award-winning local journalism for the people, by the people. Love you guys!!. What Montana has done is they basically turned that regulatory mechanism on its head, and they are now using it effectively as a threat to wolves, not as a protection, Dan MacNulty, associate professor of wildlandresources at Utah State University, told me. When she was named director of FWP, she highlighted her background working in several different agency divisions: law enforcement, parks management, wildlife conservation and public education. . Wolves on Fountain Flats at Yellowstone National Park, in 2020. on about your day, ask yourself: How likely is it that the story you just read would have been produced by a different news outlet if The Intercept hadnt done it? I can understand theres worry about it. How do we get more people to understand or want to care about birds or plants or water, much less big game? Please reload the page and try again. The problem seems to be coming from the U.S. At that time, Polly returned to her home state of Minnesota, and it was there that she met and began dating Oakley Williams. The problem is that they dont know if the hunters are sightingresident packs or nonresident packs, said MacNulty, the Utah State University researcher. The former Montana FWP director takes a high-profile post with U.S. A long-held secret. The federal agency manages wildlife and habitat across the country and is in charge of more than 150 million acres of land in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Martha Williams is director of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Martha Williams, nominee to lead the U.S. The nomination was celebrated by both environmental groups and an array of hunting interests. 'CHANGING HUNTING IN MONTANA' Steve Bullock, a post she held from 2017 to 2020. Ms. Martha Williams, Montana Department of Wildlife, Fish and Parks, Director (Absent, no proxy) Senator Mike Lang, Senate District 17 . Tom Kuglin is the deputy editor for the Lee Newspapers State Bureau. Democrats said it will weaken Montanans right to participate in government decisions. Gianforte has. The guides sent witness statements to an FWP game warden. In the portion of the state that abuts Yellowstone Park where longstanding quotas on wolf kills were eliminated entirely the death toll of 19 wolves marked a 342 percent increase from the previous decades annual average of four. Fish and Wildlife Service and write to you in support of advancing her nomination quickly.. How will that money be spent? How many covert wars, miscarriages of justice, and dystopian technologies would remain hidden if our reporters werent on the beat? Previously, Williams was an Assistant Professor of Law at the Blewett School of Law at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements. She adored her children and grandchildren, and their happiness was her priority. Together their demands reflect the contentious state of predator politics in the Northern Rockies. Id like my son to learn how to do restoration projects and have employment opportunities in that arena into the future. Williams is both a hunter and an angler, and according to the Interior Department press release, she grew up on a farm. The former director of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will assume management of more than 8,000 employees and 567 wildlife refuges, and will oversee administration of the Endangered Species Act. of would-be replacements plays out. I had a bill that was going to place wolves on the predator list make them a predator, just treat them as predator, Bob Brown, a Montana state senator, said at an FWPCommittee hearing last year. Polly graduated from Bemidji High School in 1961, and began attending the Duluth School of Beauty Culture soon after. But there are international wildlife affairs, theres refuges, theres fisheries and aquatic conservation, theres science application, theres the Partners program. As for using telemetry in wolf hunts, Jacobsen added: This would not be lawful while in the act of hunting under Montanas statute on two-way communication.. And how do we support all the partners it takes to have a species on the landscape that stays recovered. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Williams was the first female director of Montana FWP. The first priority for the refuge system and the GAOA money is to try to catch up on our deferred maintenance. He had neither the uniform nor the vehicle of a government official. Get your insiders look into what's happening in and around the Capitol. The circumstances would be delicate for any director. Just $1 per month , Our hunting and conservation editor sits down with the new head of the USFWS to try to get some answers, By In the closing days of the session, a duel or a duet? You can cancel at any time. Montana Sage Grouse Oversight Team (MSGOT) March 24, 2021: 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. . MW: At USFWS, we always have to be grounded in the science, so the numbers are important. Facebook gives people the power. Its what I think about, its what I see, smell, hear and dream about, she told the committee. The department cannot enforce laws that are not applicable and did not wish to imply that the regulation applied to wolves, Wakeling wrote. It started with a real effort on urban wildlife refuges, but what were learning is applicable across the board, including in rural communities. Former Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director Martha Williams was appointedon Wednesday as second-in-command at the U.S. You just put your head down and do good work and try to recognize it and build trust along the way. The agency announced Wednesday that she will be serving as a principal deputy director of the U.S. But they want to know that theyre there. In a guest editorial appearing in the Billings Gazette a year ago, she wrote that FWP recognizes that bison restoration has a place in Montana, whether on tribal land, public land, or private lands of willing landowners. She advocated for a bison restoration proposal that would allow for collaboration and transparency and take into account the concerns of landowners and communities small and large.. The reason, they argue, is that she is unqualified under the law. Speaking in a personal capacity and not as a representative of her former or current employer, Hawkaluk said the committee ultimately determined that years of wolf hunting and trapping regulations in Montana misrepresented the law, and that the problem related to the species in need of management categorization developed in the early 2000s. But Williams was also unafraid of inviting entrenched opponents to talk through issues, according to those who worked with her. I think a lot of folks of whatever view on wolves are probably a bit concerned about opening the can of worms. Thats all it takes to support the journalism you rely on. Im trying to save my old agency, for crying out loud, he said. Montana's independent nonprofit news source. Book Description A scandalous past. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). DOI and the bureaus do not guarantee that outside websites comply with Section 508 (Accessibility Requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act. We have this infusion of belief in what we do, whether its through the infrastructure bill or the Great American Outdoors Act. Outdoor Life: Lets lead with grizzly bears, which are still under federal endangered-species protection though population benchmarks for recovery have been met. When Williams appeared before lawmakers in November, the issue never came up. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. So we have to factor shifting values in this country, and those shifting values are adding pressure to an already complicated issue. USFWS also administers the Endangered Species Act and manages and distributes more than $1 billion to states, tribes and territories for fish and wildlife conservation. The U.S. Senate confirmed Martha Williams to lead the U.S. I feel like weve come a long ways, from saying this is who we are and you can join us or not. We want everyone to feel welcome, and do what we can to feel they belong in the outdoors. Gianforte stacked the most important posts in Montanas wildlife decision-making apparatus from Williamss old job atop FWP to the commissioners who create policy for the department with campaign contributors, a former running mate, and representatives of aggressively pro-wolf hunting interests. Martha Williams, director of Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, told the Environmental Quality Council the disease has so far had no discernible effect on the sale of hunting licenses, and that special hunts to help combat the disease's spread have sold out quickly. The first wolf arrives at Yellowstone National Park in a pen carried by, from left, Mike Phillips, Yellowstone Wolf Project leader; Jim Evanoff, Yellowstone environmental protection specialist; Molly Beattie, U.S. She previously worked as an attorney for FWP from 1998 to 2011 and for two years as a solicitor at the Department of the Interior. Support homegrown news. Few people have had as close a relationship to those questions as David Ausband. Williams was the director of FWP in Montana from 2017 to 2020. Its wonderful and well put it to use really quickly, but when you own and manage these places for the public and the public trust, its an ongoing responsibility and commitment.
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