Tester Calls for Hearing on Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act

Senator Urges Committee to Consider Collaborative Montana-Made Legislation

(U.S. Senate)- U.S. Senator Jon Tester is requesting a hearing from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for his Montana made Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act.

“Montanans have spent over a decade crafting the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project to improve forest management and protect thousands of acres of public land,” Tester said. “It is past time we moved forward with this responsible proposal, which has garnered the support of outfitters, timber companies, local government, and outdoorsmen and women from all walks of life.”

With the support of the local community, Tester introduced the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act in February.

The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act would:

• Protect 79,000 acres of land for the next generation
• Develop a comprehensive trail plan to provide recreationists with access to the Lolo National Forest
• Open up 2,200 acres of land to snowmobiling
• Protect access to 3,800 acres of land for mountain biking

Tester has garnered broad support for this legislation and newspapers across the state have endorsed the bill.

Tester wrote a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee requesting a hearing. Tester’s letter can be found HERE.

You can access a map of the Blackfoot-Clearwater area HERE. You can download a one-pager about the bill HERE, and the bill text is available HERE.