CITIZENS FOR A BETTER FLATHEAD

PROTECTING WATER QUALITY AND CONSERVING WATER RESOURCES: CITIZENS FOR A BETTER FLATHEAD (CBF) CONTINUED TO MONITOR AND RESPOND TO PROJECTS, POLICIES, AND RESIDENT'S CONCERNS ON MATTERS THAT COULD THREATEN AND IMPACT WATER QUALITY AND WATER RIGHTS WITHIN THE FLATHEAD BASIN. WE WORK DAILY TO IDENTIFY THE BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE AND PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS TO PROTECT AND SUSTAIN THE FLATHEAD'S WATERS FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY SHARING RESEARCH AND INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC, ENCOURAGING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, ATTENDING MEETINGS AND SUBMITTING COMMENTS. WE CONTINUE TO WORK TO HOLD DECISION MAKERS ACCOUNTABLE TO PROTECTING OUR WATER QUALITY AND WATER RESOURCES, THROUGH RECENT COURT FILINGS WHEN WE FIND THAT DECISIONS WERE NOT GROUNDED IN SCIENCE, WERE ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS, FAILED TO COMPLY WITH EXISTING LAWS, AND/OR VIOLATED THE PUBLIC'S TO KNOW AND PARTICIPATE IN ISSUES OF SIGNIFICANT INTEREST TO THE PUBLIC. COMMUNITY DRIVEN PLANNING: CBF EDUCATED INDIVIDUALS ABOUT CURRENT UPDATES TO GROWTH POLICIES AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IN THE FLATHEAD'S THREE CITIES AND THE COUNTY, BY SHARING RESEARCH AND INFORMATION, ENCOURAGING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, ATTENDING MEETINGS, AND SUBMITTING COMMENTS. WE HAVE LONG-STANDING AND DEEP RELATIONSHIPS WITH NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE COUNTY AND WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS YEAR, WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND PROVIDED RESEARCH AND ASSISTANCE TO THEM, INCLUDING SUPPORTING THEM ON MAKING EFFECTIVE COMMENTS ON PENDING POLICY DECISIONS IMPACTING THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. THROUGH RESEARCH-BASED NEWSLETTERS, PUBLIC TESTIMONY, AND COLLABORATIVE LEGAL ACTION, WHEN NECESSARY, CBF INFORMS AND EMPOWERS THE FLATHEAD CITIZENRY. WE WORK ON AN ON-GOING BASIS TO ENSURE THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND DECISIONS GIVE MEANINGFUL CONSIDERATION TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. CBF'S EFFORTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ADOPTION OF POLICIES THAT LIMIT URBAN SPRAWL, ENCOURAGE AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGIES, PROTECT GROUNDWATER, PRESERVE AGRICULTURAL LANDS, AND CHAMPION LOCAL CONTROL IN LOCAL PLANNING AND GOVERNANCE. REDUCING WASTE-CONSERVING RESOURCES: FOR OVER 30 YEARS, CBF HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO ADVANCING PRACTICES OF WASTE REDUCTION, REUSE, AND RECYCLING AND PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES THROUGHOUT THE FLATHEAD AREA. IN 2025, CBF DELIVERED WASTE REDUCTION AND RECYCLING LESSONS TO MORE THAN 2,000 STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY. WE HAVE ALSO PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED THOUSANDS OF RESOURCE GUIDES TO ENCOURAGE REUSE, REPAIR, AND RECYCLING AS WELL AS PROPER DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS WASTE FOR THREE DECADES. CBF CURRENTLY MAINTAINS AN INFORMATIONAL WEBSITE TO SUPPORT PUBLIC AWARENESS ON WASTE REDUCTION AND REUSE. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: ENCOURAGING, INCREASING, AND DEFENDING THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO INFORMED AND MEANINGFUL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS AT THE HEART OF THE WORK WE DO. IT IS AN ISSUE WE HAVE RAISED IN NUMEROUS PUBLIC HEARINGS THIS YEAR. THIS YEAR, WE ALSO FILED A CASE CHALLENGING THE BARRIERS TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO KNOW CREATED BY THE LAKESIDE COUNTY WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT BOARD IN A LAWSUIT CHALLENGING THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THEIR PUBLIC PROCESS.