Zinke Applauds Passage of Department of Interior Appropriations

Press Release

Today, the House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2017 Department of Interior Appropriations bill. In addition to including a complete defunding of Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, the bill also includes two of Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke's legislative priorities: Ending the Obama Administration's coal moratorium by September 30, 2017 (Sec. 441), and stopping the Administration from altering the royalty and valuation system in a way which hurts coal producers like the Crow, and oil and gas developers (Sec. 440).

Congressman Zinke lead the effort (video) to kill an amendment that would strip his language from the base bill. The bill passed by a bipartisan vote of 231-196. It is the first Interior Appropriations bill to pass the House since 2012.

"I fought to include a provision to save coal and maintain the payment system for good reason. I am trying to protect our schools, our infrastructure, our communities, and the very livelihoods that depend on these revenues, " said Rep. Zinke. "We've seen how hard hit Montana is as a result of this Administration's war on coal. The cost is real. In communities like Colstrip, Baker, Billings and Crow Agency, coal, oil, gas, and other natural resources are the only answer. For the great Crow nation, their treaty specifically states the United States shall not interfere with their destiny if they choose to mine their coal. But the Obama Administration's efforts to "Keep It in the Ground' is infringing on their treaty rights. I'm happy to see this bill pass and my provisions to protect coal included. This a win for Montana workers and families."

Other important Montana provisions include:

Fully funds Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) at $480 million.
Zinke voted against and successfully killed an amendment to strip additional $13 million from PILT.
Prohibits the EPA implementation of WOTUS, new methane requirements, and new greenhouse gas regulations for new or existing power plants.
Removes $70 million from EPA bureaucracy to go towards the Forest Service's Hazardous Fuels account in order to prevent dangerous wildfires.
Zinke cosponsored and voted in support of this amendment.
Maintains the Forest Service's funding and authority to streamline forest health projects.
Zinke voted against and successfully killed the amendment intended to strip this language out of the final bill.
Prohibits harmful changes to the Stream Buffer Rule.
Prohibits the closure of public lands to hunting and recreational shooting.
Provides critical funding to allow Indian Health Service to provide critical services on reservations.

Source