Park Service Postpones Paving Project Following Tester's Request

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Jon Tester, chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, released the following statement in response to the postponement of paving projects at two popular river access points along the Bighorn River. The decision came hours after Tester asked the Park Service to cancel the project because of its impact on Montana's economy and access to public land.

This is a responsible move that's right for Montana's anglers and the businesses and jobs that rely on public access to the Bighorn River. Moving forward, any future decisions must be made with input from all stakeholders in order to minimize disruptions to public access and support Montana's strong fishing heritage. I appreciate the Park Service responding so quickly to my concerns.

The National Park Service today said it will postpone the two paving projects scheduled for the Afterbay Dam and Three Mile River Ranch boat launches, and hold public meetings to gather more input from local businesses and anglers, and from the Crow Tribe. The Park Service will use that input to reschedule the paving projects at a later date that will minimize disruptions to fishing access.

The Afterbay Dam paving project was scheduled to begin next Monday.