Program to protect against invasive mussels has money issues

POLSON, Mont. – A pilot program to help protect the Flathead Basin from invasive aquatic mussels faces funding problems.

The Flathead Basin Commission was authorized to do the work with funding from a boat sticker. However attorneys for the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks say legislation that created the program doesn’t give the agency the authority to write rules requiring boat owners to purchase the stickers.

Operations Chief Mike Volesky tells the Missoulian the bill does not say the stickers are mandatory or include penalties for failing to buy them.

Separately, the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has suggested cutting the nearly $150,000 budget for the Flathead Basin Commission as part of cuts needed to balance the budget. The pilot program planned to add more boat certification stations along with automated inspection and detection devices.