Daines Bill to Protect North Fork Watershed Moves Forward

Press Release

Congressman Steve Daines' North Fork Watershed Protection Act of 2013, bipartisan and locally driven legislation to protect the North Fork watershed,today received its first hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Daines and Whitefish City Councilman John Anderson testified this morning before a House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation hearing, sharing the broad support that efforts to protect the North Fork of the Flathead River have received and the importance of the North Fork watershed to the people of Flathead Valley and the local economy.

"Agreement in our government seems far gone these days. However, today we see the silver lining," Daines stated at this morning's hearing. "Today we're having a hearing on my bill H.R. 2259, the North Fork Watershed Protection Act, an initiative I've joined my Democrat Montana colleagues, Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester, to support. My support for this bill marks the first time in almost 30 years the Montana delegation has supported public lands legislation in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion. And we are hoping to get this bill over the finish line."

"This bill makes sense," Anderson added during his testimony."It enjoys especially broad, local support. A varied cross section of industries, business groups, local governments, hunting and fishing organizations, conservation groups, and the State of Montana have publicized their support. Additionally, the entire Montana Congressional Delegation unanimously supports this bill."

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