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Committee Tables Water Compact at Sponsor’s Behest

Sen. Chas Vincent of Libby says amendments would jeopardize CSKT water rights negotiation

By Alison Noon, Associated Press

HELENA — Sen. Janna Taylor said her intention was not to kill a proposed water settlement between the tribal, state and federal governments when she pushed through two amendments Tuesday.

But Sen. Chas Vincent said Taylor and every other Montana lawmaker is well aware that even a minor amendment to Senate Bill 262 — like Taylor’s to require additional expenditure reporting and audits — would fatally delay the agreement that’s decades in the making.

“She’s being disingenuous,” Vincent said.

The Senate Finance and Claims Committee tabled the bill on Vincent’s request so he could bring the unamended version before the Senate as a whole.

The bill reflects an agreement to water use rights on the Flathead Reservation in northwest Montana where hundreds of both tribal and non-tribal members farm and ranch. It was sent to the financial committee for consideration of a provision that calls for the state to disburse next year the first $8 million of the total $55 million agreement.

Having tabled the bill, the committee took no stance on that or any other aspect of the measure.

The $8 million would be used to begin water measurements on the reservation and updates to a widely used irrigation system.

The remaining $47 million would have to be appropriated by a future state legislature once the U.S. Congress approves the compact. Vincent said the state would be legally bound to uphold its end of the bargain and pay out the remaining project costs should the negotiation go forward.

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes inhabit the last of seven reservations in Montana to settle water use rights with the state.

If Vincent does blast SB 262 to the Senate as a whole, 26 of 50 senators would need to vote in favor of the motion for it to be scheduled for second reading. All general bills must pass second and third readings by Friday to meet the Legislature’s transmittal deadline and stay alive.