Daines' North Fork Protection Bill to Receive Hearing Tomorrow

Press Release

Congressman Steve Daines today announced that his bill to protect the North Fork watershed is moving forward in the U.S. House of Representatives. The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation is scheduled to hold a hearing tomorrow on Daines' North Fork Watershed Protection Act of 2013.

The hearing is scheduled for 10:00AM EST on October 3, 2013 at 1324 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. The hearing will also be streamed live on the House Natural Resources Committee website.

"Efforts to protect the North Fork Watershed, like the North Fork Watershed Protection Act, are a good example of how we can work together to put Montana first and I'm pleased that the Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on my legislation," Daines stated."My bill will protect this valuable resource, while also ensuring that current recreational uses, livestock management and forest management in this region are maintained. I'm glad to be a part of this important, bi-partisan effort and leading the charge in the House to achieve the goals that the Flathead community supports."

Daines also welcomes Whitefish City Councilman John Anderson to Washington, D.C. to testify at tomorrow's hearing. In addition to serving the city of Whitefish, Mr. Anderson is a local business lawyer, a former chairman of the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce, has held positions in engineering and operations of high-tech companies and previously worked as a logger.

H.R. 2259, the North Fork Watershed Protection Act of 2013, seeks to protect the North Fork Watershed of the Flathead River by restricting new mineral development from occurring within an area along North Fork.

Daines' North Fork Watershed Protection Act is comparable to legislation previously introduced by Montana Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester and is the product of a locally-driven effort by conservationists, the outdoor recreation industry, the timber industry, the oil and gas industry, and others in the business community of the Flathead Valley.

Recognizing that the area along the North Fork is a region where many go to recreate in multiple ways, where there are holders of valid grazing rights, and that is suitable timber for harvesting, Daines included language in H.R. 2259 that makes clear that these presently permissible uses of the land are protected under the bill.

Daines' support of efforts to protect the North Fork have been noted by local stakeholders as an important step forward in showing much needed bipartisanship leadership in Montana.

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