The Issues

"This thriving citizens organization exemplifies the ideal of public involvement in public processes… Northern Plains Resource Council gives a large group of Montanans an effective voice. We may not always agree with Northern Plains, but we commend the group for holding public decision-makers accountable."
—Billings Gazette editorial,
Nov. 16, 2001

"...it has been incredibly successful at bringing credible, if sometimes dissenting, viewpoints to public debates about ranching, mining and the general lifestyle enjoyed by this region. In the consideration of any number of issues, the group has been the key that opened public debate."
Billings Gazette editorial,
Nov. 27, 1991

"With a dogged, can-do attitude, this citizens group has helped to shape the future of Montana in the face of mounting pressure for the development of our natural resources."
—Sen. Max Baucus, quoted in Havre Daily News,
June 29, 1992

"What sets NPRC apart from many groups is their complete dedication to working with community people… The process of citizen involvement, at least in the context of small town Montana life, has been raised to an art form by this organization."
—Western Network, Citizen Involvement: Learning From Experience, 1994

“I am stunned by the courage you’ve had collectively, by your endurance over the past 37 years. You have always fought long odds.”
—Randy Udall, quoted in Billings Gazette,
Nov. 16, 2008

"Many have attacked members of the Northern Plains Resource Council for taking a stand on methane development. I think we ought to thank our lucky stars for their foresight, and their determination to protect the interests of farmers and ranchers in southeastern Montana."
—Roger Muggli, op-ed, Miles City Star,
Apr. 6, 2001

"But the birth, evolution, and sustained record of NPRC’s successes are, in some ways, unique to rural America, and, more broadly, unique to post-modern American environmentalism and should give all Montanans–or at least those vitally concerned about natural resources, land use, ranching, and family farming–some measure of optimism."
—Keith Edgerton, Montana State University / Billings, 2002,
Bridging Ideology in Rural America: The Northern Plains Resource Council, 1971-1975 

"Birthed out of an unusual coalition of ranchers and environmentalists, Northern Plains maintains this tradition of working with diverse groups, an anomaly in today’s era of conflict and divisiveness."
—Greg Gordon, Orion Afield Magazine,
Summer 2000

"They confound the common view that ordinary people are powerless in the face of industry."
—Billings Gazette editorial,
May 11, 2000

They’ve squared off against some of the world’s largest multinationals, this interesting amalgam of young environmental activists, farmers, ranchers and citizens concerned about mineral and other developments in the Northern Great Plains.
—John A. Alwin, 1982,
Eastern Montana: A Portrait of the Land and its People

"To say the agreement between Stillwater Mining Co. and Northern Plains Resource Council and its affiliates in Stillwater and Sweet Grass counties is remarkable understates its significance. The ‘Good Neighbor Agreement’ sets a standard beyond Montana’s borders for how citizens concerned with resource protection and a major mining company concerned with resource development can work together to resolve conflict.”
Billings Gazette editorial,
May 1, 2000

"Ten years after this legally binding agreement (the Good Neighbor Agreement) was signed, it remains a testament to the benefits of communication and cooperation."
—Billings Gazette editorial,
June 3, 2010