Land Trust News

Kelly Kountz Photo / Courtesy of Gallatin Valley Land Trust

Sen. Tester Introduces Headwaters Legacy Act

Montana Senator Jon Tester has introduced the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act, legislation written to protect 336 river miles in the Lewis and Clark and the Custer Gallatin National Forests.“

This place has been discovered. It’s going to continue to have more and more people,” Tester said in a Bozeman Chronicle article. “There’s going to continue to be more pressure put    on air and water every day, and now we’re really past the time to do something about it.”

The Chronicle reports that If the bill passes, federal agencies would be required to preserve water quality, free-flowing conditions and certain “outstandingly remarkable values” on dozens of miles of the Gallatin, Madison, Yellowstone, Boulder, Smith and Stillwater rivers and on sections of an additional 17 creeks.