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Lands Package Includes LWCF Funding, Blocks Gold Mine Near Yellowstone

Sprawling conservation measure received bipartisan support, endorsed by entire Montana congressional delegation

By Tristan Scott
Members of the Glacier Mountaineering Society enjoy views from the summit of Reynolds Mountain. Beacon File Photo

In passing a sprawling omnibus public lands bill on Feb. 12, the U.S. Senate in a 92-8 vote reauthorized the Land and Water Conservation Fund in perpetuity and blocked a proposed gold mine on the outskirts of Yellowstone National Park.

The Senate vote sends the measure to the House.

It was the largest public lands bill in a decade, combining more than 100 separate bills into one, designating hundreds of miles of river as wild and scenic, creating thousands of miles of new trails and setting aside nearly 700,000 acres of land for new recreation and conservation.

For more than a half-century, perhaps no program has been more instrumental in protecting and conserving the nation’s public lands than the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which has funded more than 41,000 conservation and lands projects at the federal, state and local levels, furnishing protections on roughly 2.3 million acres of forests while enjoying bipartisan support from lawmakers.

Between 2005 and 2014, Montana received $240.3 million in investments from LWCF funds, which contributed to the purchase of more than 800 recreational sites across Montana, including city parks, trails and ball fields.

Established by Congress in 1964 to conserve open spaces, fish and wildlife habitat and cultural, historic and recreation sites, the Land and Water Conservation Fund uses a portion of royalties from offshore oil development. The law allows funding of up to $900 million, but that has only happened twice in the fund’s 54-year history. Congress funded LWCF at $425 million this fiscal year, but the program expired Sept. 30.

With the end of the fiscal year, conservation and land advocates, business owners, and a bipartisan mix of lawmakers sounded a rallying cry to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

“The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a driver of Montana’s $7 billion outdoor economy,” U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, a longtime proponent of the fund, said. “Hunters, hikers, and anglers will now have the long-term certainty they need to increase public access to our public lands and preserve these outdoor spaces for generations to come.”

The lands package included the Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act to permanently withdraw federal mineral rights on roughly 30,000 acres of the Gallatin National Forest and prevent proposed mines from expanding onto unclaimed public land adjacent to the Park. Tester worked with a coalition of local residents and small-businesses owners to craft and introduce the bill after a pair of mining companies announced plans to expand their operations around the Paradise Valley back in 2015.

“Words cannot express the gratitude we feel toward Montana’s delegation right now,” said Colin Davis, owner of Chico Hot Springs. “We wouldn’t be anywhere without Senator Tester’s unwavering leadership and his commitment since day one. Now, we just need one final push to permanently protect our jobs and way of life in the Paradise Valley.”

The package was also championed by Montana Republicans U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte.

“Today’s vote is a watershed moment for conservation and public lands across Montana and our entire country,” Daines said Feb. 12.“From permanent reauthorization of LWCF to permanent protection of Paradise Valley, I’m very pleased we passed this important package today in the Senate. I urge the House to act quickly so that we can get it onto the President’s desk for his signature.”

Montana business leaders hailed the move as a boon to the Treasure State’s economy.

“Montana businesses thrive thanks to our outdoor assets and valuable policies like the Land and Water Conservation Fund, that protect our public lands and the economic advantages they provide,” said Marne Hayes, executive director of Business for Montana’s Outdoors. “Business for Montana’s Outdoors couldn’t be more pleased by the good work to get LWCF finally across the finish line to permanent reauthorization.

Late last year, a poll of 822 owners and managers of outdoor businesses in Montana, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico found that eight in 10 businesses support reauthorizing the conservation program,

Key findings of the poll include: 82 percent of those surveyed believe Congress should reauthorize the fund, including 79 percent of Montanans surveyed; nearly eight in 10 business owners believe LWCF helps their state’s economy; 73 percent of business owners believe public lands and the increased access provided by LWCF and similar programs help their business recruit and retain high-level employees.

Meanwhile, the Center for Western Priorities released a new report that identified and examined public land projects proposed by federal agencies from 2014 to 2017.

The analysis found that 20 projects were completed during this four-year-period in Montana, conserving at least 90,100 acres. The completed projects helped conserve swaths of land in Glacier National Park, the Lewis and Clark National Forest, Flathead National Forest, Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, and more, according to the report. Additionally, a project in the Lolo Flathead National Forest is in the process of being completed.

At least 16 LWCF projects in Montana covering 16,800 acres were proposed by federal agencies but are not yet completed.