County To Comment On Fort Peck Proposal
The Roosevelt County commissioners approved sending a comment to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding proposed test releases from Fort Peck Dam for the benefit of federal endangered pallid sturgeon.
The commissioners’ comment included, “A rush to make 2022 the first year of test releases is ill-timed both for irrigation and the pallid sturgeon. A drought year is a particularly bad year not to have reliable irrigation. For the sturgeon, the released water needs to be warmer than what is provided from the bottom of the reservoir. The release should be from the spillway using shallower and warmer water. This easily might not be available in the looming drought conditions.”
The draft EIS identifies and compares several alternatives and outlines in detail, the preferred alternative for assessing test flow capacity from Fort Peck Dam, to promote growth and survival of pallid sturgeon during the free swimming juvenile stage prior to their settling out in the headwaters of Lake Sakakawea. The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 requires USACE to assess and report the socio-economic and environmental effects of any test flow alternatives including the no action alternative.
Commissioner Duane Nygaard noted that the proposal is a “gigantic issue” for Roosevelt County. He said the high release will take between five and six weeks.
“I think it’s a terrible idea,” Nygaard said.
He believes the process will be conducted three or five times during the next 10 years.
Commissioner Gordon Oelkers added, “Once you change channels on a river, it’s never coming back.”
Commissioners urged residents to voice their opinions by submitting comments.
“It will put some farmers out of business,” Commissioner Gary Macdonald said.
The public is encouraged to review the draft environmental impact statement during the open comment period that ends on May 25. The draft Fort Peck test flows environmental impact statement can be accessed online at: https://www.nwo. usace.army.mil/Missions/ Civil-Works/Planning/Project- Reports/.
Written comments should be sent to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District; CENWO-PMA-C. ATTN: Fort Peck draft EIS comments; 1616 Capitol Avenue; Omaha, NE 68102-4901. Comments can also be emailed to: cenwo-planning@usace. army.mil.
In other business during the meeting on Tuesday, May 18, commissioners approved the recommendation by the compensation board to increase elected officials’ pay. The recommendation was increasing the clerk and recorder’s wage by $1,700 or roughly 2.75 percent, which is what all elected officials’ and their deputies’ pay is based on.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Bill Juve voiced his concern about some meetings such as the compensation board meeting being advertised. Commissioners agreed to post notices of all meetings at the courthouse and in Culbertson.
Juve also asked about CARES Act funding and the stipend received by county employees At one point, Oelkers threatened to kick Juve out of the meeting for trying to put words in his mouth.
Oelkers explained the challenges that county employees encountered during the pandemic. Nygaard added that there were employees that took leave without pay.
“I think we did a darn good job,” Oelkers said of keeping the county running effectively.
Juve asked if commissioners talked with other counties regarding the stipends.
Oelkers said he visited with other people in the county and not officials from other counties about the idea.
“A guy does what he thinks is right,” Oelkers said.
Receiving annual pay raises for dispatch employee Brandy Sutton, Aging Service employee Alyssa Pautsch and health department employee Frances Hayes.
Rehired were Extension office employees Traci Kjelshus and Tracie Smith.
Commissioners received the resignation of detention center employee Digmie Tinglin.
