The Water Rights Compact (treaty) recently signed by the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, the State of Montana and the U.S. Department of Interior is a complex, first-of-its-kind agreement that will seriously impair the rights of Montana land and water rights holders, including CSKT Tribal members. The Compact also will reshape, for the worse, future water rights compacts currently being contemplated by other U.S. states and regions (including in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oklahoma, the Midwest and the East).
The Water Rights Compact must first be approved by Congress before it can be implemented by the Parties. This means that Congress will have the opportunity to closely examine the processes these Parties employed to enter into the Compact as well as the Compact’s specific terms, andthat Congress bears the primary legal and fiduciary responsibility for ensuring that such processes and terms, as defined and as to be applied, willnot violate federal, state and/or tribal laws and the U.S., State and Tribal constitutional rights of Montana’s citizens.
You are cordially invited to attend an exclusive meeting organized to discuss these critical issues. The meeting will be led by a team of experts who will provide an overview of these issues and potential paths forward for educating Congress about them. These experts include:
· Lawrence Kogan, The Kogan Law Group, P.C., NY, NY, an attorney specializing in international trade, regulatory and treaty law;
· Quentin Rhoades, Rhoades & Siefert, PLLC, Missoula, MT, an attorney specializing in Montana and Federal trial and appellate court litigation;
· Elaine Willman, Board Member, former Chair, Citizens Equal Rights Alliance, specialist in Indian law and policy; and
· Robert Fanning, former Republican Candidate for Governor (2012).
Given Congress’ indispensable role in reviewing the Water Compact, it has been confirmed that top aides from both congressional offices will have senior representatives in attendance.
The meeting will take place on Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 3:00 pm, at the Lexington Inn and Suites, located at 3040 King Ave W, Billings, MT 59102. Directions are provided below:
http://www.lexingtonbillings.com/ (406) 294-9090
We would be honored to have you come and listen to their presentations, and we welcome your constructive inputs.
Thank You!
Mae Woo
406-651-9103
On behalf of Lawrence Kogan, Quentin Rhoades, Elaine Willman, Robert Fanning and Eric Olsen
