LIVINGSTON- On Saturday, Sweetwater Fly Shop held its inaugural Protect Paradise Bash and BBQ at the Livingston Civic Center to protect Montana waters, watersheds, and fisheries.
Owner Dan Gigone said he organized this event to bring local businesses and consumers together while still getting people to think about supporting conservation efforts.
"We just really wanted to have a celebration of the Yellowstone River that mean so much to so many of us and also give people the opportunity to learn how they can preserve and conserve the Yellowstone River and the whole greater Yellowstone Ecosystem,” said Gigone.
There was a heavy conservation presence in the room during the day.
Montana Conservation Corps., Park Conservation District, Project WET, Trout Unlimited, Western Sustainability Exchange were just some of the groups part of the group.
Dani Daley was there supporting Initiative I-186, which would require mines show that they will not perpetually pollute the site requiring there to be water treatment after the operation is over. The initiative was brought forward after multiple conservation groups formed the coalition Yes for Responsible Mining.
"Montana has a long history of mining companies coming in and going bankrupt and leaving the state and leaving the taxpayers to clean up the waste from the mines and we are really working to keep Montana water clean but also make sure taxpayers don’t have to pay to treat that perpetually polluted water,” said Daley.
Daley said the petition needs 25,000 signatures to land on the November ballot. She said the group has already obtained more than 40,000.
