Tester hails Badger-Two Medicine decision

Senator’s efforts help lead to preservation of historical area of Montana

(Great Falls, Mont.) – Senator Jon Tester released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Interior filed its plan in federal court to cancel an oil and gas lease in the Badger-Two Medicine, a sacred area to the Blackfeet Tribe adjacent to Glacier National Park:

“Today’s decision is a step toward protecting the Badger-Two Medicine for future generations. This area is a unique region that has cultural, historical, spiritual, and recreational significance to the people of the Blackfeet Nation and Montana. For too long the oil and gas leases in Badger-Two Medicine have caused uncertainty in this pristine landscape. I applaud all of the folks in Browning and across Montana who have worked so hard on this issue.”

In March, Tester sent a letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging them to cancel all of the existing oil and gas leases in the Badger-Two Medicine.

Last year, Tester passed historic conservation legislation to permanently protect the Rocky Mountain Front and the North Fork of the Flathead River, ensuring no oil and gas leases will be permitted on those pristine lands.

A map of the Badger-Two Medicine leases can be found HERE.