The fight to permanently protect the Badger-Two Medicine experienced a bump in the road last week when the Department of the Interior (DOI) chose to abandon the appeal of the Moncrief lease, once again leaving the door open for develope in this sacred landscape and reminding us of the need to place the Badger-Two Medicine under permanent protection from industrial development.
For decades, the Blackfeet Tribe, MWF, and a multitude of other supporters have advocated for permanent protection in this final piece of the Rocky Mountain Front. The pristine nature of the Badger-Two Medicine is still under threat due to the presence of two remaining leases, the Moncrief and Solenex leases. These leases were granted illegally and have been hotly contested for decades as the Blackfeet, with the support of various advocates, have sought to save their scared homeland.
While the DOI’s decision on the Moncrief appeal is concerning, advocates for the Badger-Two Medicine were encouraged by the DOI’s decision to appeal the Solenex leases. This was a much-welcomed victory for this embattled Badger and although there is still much to do, the growing bipartisan support for protection gives hope to those that love this hallowed ground.
The Badger-Two Medicine is a place that holds historical, cultural, ecological, and religious significance to the people of the Blackfeet Nation and many other Montanans. Just as one would not bring a jackhammer in the Sistine Chapel, MWF reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that oil rigs will never be brought into the Badger-Two Medicine.
