HELENA — Gov. Steve Bullock plans to approve a tribal water use agreement that has been decades in the making despite a lawsuit challenging the pact.
Bullock’s office said he will sign Senate Bill 262 on Friday.
The bill would grant state approval of the agreement between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the state and federal governments. That pact recognizes the tribes’ historical water rights and ensures non-tribal members continue to receive water.
With state approval, the proposal will go to the U.S. Congress for authorization.
Eight irrigators on the Flathead Reservation are challenging the deal in court. Attorney General Tim Fox says their suit lacks merit and should be dismissed.