BILLINGS- The Crazy Mountain Ranch is pushing back against state regulators who say the property violated a court order tied to watering its private golf course in the Crazy Mountains.
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation filed a motion in October asking a Park County judge to find the ranch in violation of a consent decree and to impose $8,000 in penalties.
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DNRC says the ranch used water that wasn’t legally authorized for sale under the Montana Water Use Act.
The water came from the city of Boulder, which sold roughly 100,000 gallons to the ranch in mid-August, using a well, later determined not to be covered by municipal water rights.
In new court filings, Crazy Mountain Ranch, owned by Lone Mountain Land Co., a subsidiary of the Yellowstone Club, argued it followed the rules of the consent decree and legally purchased the water.
The ranch says DNRC is unfairly blaming it for alleged violations tied to Boulder’s sale, not its own use.
Attorney Peter Scott, representing Crazy Mountain Ranch, issued a statement Wednesday, saying the agency’s enforcement approach is misplaced:
“Nothing in the court-approved agreement requires CMR to verify that municipalities legally authorized to sell water are complying with the Montana Water Use Act. DNRC’s effort to hold CMR responsible for violations by others simply reinforces our concern that DNRC is selectively enforcing the Water Use Act. That’s why CMR asked a court to review the matter.’’
The filing also disputes claims that the ranch missed reporting deadlines, saying the agency imposed extra requirements not outlined in the court-approved agreement.
The case is now before District Judge Matthew Wald, who will decide whether DNRC’s enforcement motion moves forward.
The Crazy Mountain Ranch first sought to buy water from Boulder earlier this year after running into previous problems with the state. This summer, the DNRC issued a similar decree, resulting in a court order that barred the ranch from using irrigation water for the golf course. Crazy Mountain then temporarily bought water from nearby Big Timber, whose City Council later stopped sales to the ranch following publicy outcry.
Related:
Rebuffed by Big Timber, Crazy Mountain Ranch sourcing water from Boulder- 117 miles away
Montana DNRC and Crazy Mountain Ranch reach consent decree regarding water
