Tester, Daines call for Senate hearing on East Rosebud Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

Senators’ bill protects 20 miles of East Rosebud Creek in Carbon County

(U.S. Senate) – Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines are urging the leaders of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to hold a hearing on their bill to designate East Rosebud Creek as Wild and Scenic.

The Senators recently introduced the East Rosebud Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to protect 20 miles of East Rosebud Creek under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. This designation will preserve the free-flowing condition of the pristine creek located south of Roscoe, Montana.

“Homeowners organizations, ranchers, local businesses, and conservation groups have all come together to call for the protection of this special creek,” the Senators wrote to Energy and Natural Resources Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash). “Moving forward with this bill will provide reasonable protections to one of Montana’s most beautiful streams.”

In 1968, Congress enacted the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to preserve rivers with cultural and recreational value in their free-flowing condition for present and future generations.

Less than one-half of one percent of Montana’s approximately 170,000 miles of river is designated as wild and scenic, and the last time a Montana river was protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was in 1976.

Congressman Ryan Zinke has also introduced similar legislation in the House.

Tester and Daines’ letter to Chairwoman Murkowski and Ranking Member Cantwell is available online HERE.