Friends of Two Rivers was organized on 14 November 2002 as a nonprofit corporation in the State of Montana with tax exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code.

Mission Statement:

• Inform the two rivers communities on the science behind remediation and restoration proposals
• Represent the opinions of those in the communities that favor remediation and restoration by working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state and local governments and the media
• Further the ecological and recreational values of the Blackfoot and Clark Fork Rivers
• Promote a safe, healthy and enriching environment for the communities at the confluence of the Blackfoot and Clark Fork Rivers
• Lead local efforts to engage in the global effort to permanently preserve and enhance both our human and natural environments for the benefit of future generations

Directors and Officers:

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , President; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Vice President; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Secretary/Treasurer; Sue Furey, Public Information Officer

Many thanks to Past Board Members: Kevin Furey, Barb Bush, Cindy Jimmerson

Chuck Erickson Chuck Erickson

Gary Matson Gary Matson

Jeannette Slate Jeannette Slate

Jill Russell MaxJill Russell Max

Joe Devlin Joe Devlin

Mary Erickson and Cassie Mary Erickson and Cassie

Senta Sandberg Senta Sandberg

Sue Furey Sue Furey

Warren Hampton Warren Hampton

Feb. 2009: New Directors Bring Many Talents to Friends of 2 Rivers
By Sue Furey
Friends of 2 Rivers welcomes three new directors this year. With regret, we also bid farewell to Cindy Jimmerson, a founding board member. Cindy’s business LeanHealth West has created many demands on her time. We wish her well, especially as she works to improve the American health care system! Thank you, Cindy!

Chuck Erickson was born in Missoula and went to Franklin Grade School.  On his mother’s  side he is a 7th generation native of the Missoula and Bitterroot Valley.  His father came from a large close family so as a small child he spent most of his time with family in Milltown. He graduated from Missoula County High School.

Chuck served in the Navy as a Salvage Diver and Instructor on Guam and in Viet Nam.  Upon returning to Missoula he started the first Search and Rescue Dive Team under Sheriff John Moe.
Chuck moved to Milltown in his high school years and has lived in this area since.  He has a Master Plumbers license and works in the HVAC field as a service technician with 38 years experience.  He has been an Instructor for Local 459 Plumbers and Pipefitters Union for over 30 years.

He is a member of Friends of 2 Rivers, The Redevelopment Working Group, and has been newly elected to the Community Council.

Warren Hampton was born in Missoula. He attended Clinton Elementary School, Sentinel High School, and received his architecture degree from Montana State University.

After working in Montana for some years, he moved to Arizona. He obtained a graduate degree from The University of Arizona and was a faculty member until he returned to Montana in 2001 to work for OZ Architects in Missoula.

Warren has attended the Milltown Redevelopment Working Group meetings for several years. He lives on the "home place" in Turah.

Senta Sandberg and her husband Craig have lived in West Riverside since 1993.

“Little did we know that the community we were moving to was so much more than a place a short distance from Missoula,” said Senta. “We are a blue collar couple raising our boys here. I work at Costco, and have for 11 years. Craig works at Smurfit Stone.

“The real reason we love living where we do is we are close to our hobbies. I am a painter, and my boys are fishermen. We as a family also like to grow a garden.

“We are very excited about all the changes that have been happening in the Bonner area, and look forward to seeing more.”

Jill Russell grew up in Bonner and graduated from Hellgate High School and Southern Oregon University.

Jill moved back to Bonner a little over two years ago and before that she lived in East Missoula for three years. Jill and her husband, David Max, have two children, Alcyone and Odin.
They also have 20+ chickens, a cat and 3 goats. Jill’s hobbies and interests include whitewater kayaking, renewable energy, sustainability, gardening, nature, social justice, and creating/sustaining a vibrant community. Jill is really excited about the prospective changes in Bonner and the opportunities it will create for her children.

She supports the creation of a state park, trails that link to Missoula, and the creation of a local farmer’s market and community garden.

Jill was one of the original members of the Bonner Milltown Community Council when it was created in 2006.

Election, 2008: Tim Furey, a founding member of Friends of Two Rivers, was elected State Representative for House District 91.

May, 2006: Jill Russell and Gary Matson were appointed to serve on the first Bonner Milltown Community Council.

May, 2004: Conservation Award: The Burk-Brandborg Award was presented to Gary Matson on Earth Day, April 22, at the Conservation Roundtable. Gary was cited for his long-time volunteer efforts in behalf of conservation issues since his arrival in Montana in 1966 and culminating with his involvement with Friends of Two Rivers. The award is “given on special occasions to the person whose outstanding contributions in a given year contribute to natural resource conservation or environmental protection by a volunteer citizen-activist.”

Gary credits Mary and Chuck Erickson who were instrumental in founding the Friends of Two Rivers, and Sue Furey who worked with him on the Bonner Community Forum, the precursor to FOTR.

He also cites valuable assistance from the Missoula County Commissioners, Peter Nielsen, the Clark Fork Coalition, and CFRTAC. He recognizes the leadership of many dedicated conservationists including the inspiration he has received from the namesakes of the award, writer Dale Burk and the late Bitterroot Forest Supervisor G.M. Brandborg.

Gary’s past involvement in conservation issues includes work on the teratogenic effects of the brush killer 2,4,5-T, helping to organize area community opposition to the Northern Tier pipeline, work on land use issues as a board member of the Montana Environmental Information Center (formerly EIC), and membership in many conservation organizations.

Nov. 2003: FOTR Anniversary Brings Satisfaction, Challenges
By Mary Erickson
In the spring of 2002 a small and diverse group of neighbors met for lunch at the River City Grill. Our one common feeling was that the best scenario for cleanup at Milltown Dam was total cleanup, including removal of the dam. We agreed we wanted to see restoration of the river bottom into an area that would be functional from a hydrological standpoint as well as a real asset to our community.

We discussed the possibility of a more formal organization but tabled the idea in favor of a neighbor-to-neighbor approach. That began a quiet campaign of simply encouraging others who felt as we did to get educated and speak up.

Spring rolled into summer and our quiet campaign continued, but the ARCO endorsed spread of misinformation was increasing proportionately. Finally we agreed that it was time to encourage those “quiet voices” to join together and, hopefully, be heard with greater recognition and impact.
In September enough enthusiastic folks attended a meeting to get the ball rolling. Again the commonality of opinion was apparent as a basic direction was decided on and a name, Friends of Two Rivers, was chosen.

Now a year has passed. Many positives have occurred. Governor Martz announced her support for cleanup, opening the way for progress. EPA’s proposed cleanup plan recommended cleanup and dam removal. The State river restoration plan recommended natural channel design.
FOTR did not make any of this happen, but we feel that the contributions of countless hours of volunteer effort and unselfish donations by our members have made a difference.

We sponsored public meetings on arsenic contamination, the effects of sediment and dam removal on groundwater levels in the Milltown area, the structural condition of the Milltown Dam.
We published 6 newsletters reporting on these topics plus the EPA’s proposed remediation plan and the State’s proposed restoration plan.

We advocate informed public involvement and work hard to fairly rebut inaccurate or incomplete information.

We foresee a vibrant future for our area based on a clean environment and natural river system. The process often seems long but, as Benjamin Franklin said, “A little neglect may breed mischief.”

FOTR enters its new year with appreciation for the process, the people, and the prospect of the future.