The Montana Conservationist June 27

Hello, Conservationist readers! Are you ready for a little summer reading? Well then here is this week’s news:

• EPA has taken the first step towards rewriting the controversial Waters of the US rule. The draft rule, which has not been released to the public, was sent to the Office of Budget and Management last week for review.
• Montana’s Senate delegation has been working to preserve the Land and Water Conservation Fund prior to its expiration this fall.
• A University of Montana researcher has developed a tool to make it easier and more affordable to test eDNA for invasive mussels. These tiny invaders are getting a tool set a little closer to their own size.
• And on the heels of that announcement, the Montana Invasive Species Council has issued new recommendations for the use of eDNA so that test results can be interpreted in a standardized way.
• Elections are currently open for local FSA County Committees. Please consider running, as these committees help direct FSA work in your area.
• A new study from Headwaters Economics is reporting that the number of MT homes in wildfire danger has doubled since 1990, despite increasingly severe wildfires and home losses across the state.
• Malstrom AFB is using goats to control weeds for the second year in a row, and they are seeing marked improvements.
• And finally, the announcement you’ve all been waiting for: this year’s MACD Poster Contest winners! Head to the last page to find winner’s names and to see the awesome posters that will be heading to the national contest.

Read all of that and more in this week’s edition of The Montana Conservationist: TMC 2018-06-27