Tester Secures $2 Million for Whitefish Lake Watershed Project

Senator: These Funds Ensure Folks Can Access Trails and Streams

(Big Sandy, Mont.)-U.S. Senator Jon Tester today secured a $2 million grant to complete the next phase of the Whitefish Lake Watershed Project in northwest Montana.

The grant was administered through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is funded by the popular Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

“There are few places as important as the Whitefish Lake watershed and these funds will ensure that folks can access the trails and streams in northwest Montana for future generations,” Tester said. “Investments from the Land and Water Conservation Fund help drive Montana’s growing outdoor economy, and I will relentlessly defend LWCF so we can keep expanding public access to our public lands.”

“This grant affirms the vital importance of the multi-phased Stillwater project, which is a true homerun for public access, water quality, and habitat protection,” said Dick Dolan, Northern Rockies Director for The Trust for Public Land. “The Trust for Public Land is proud to participate in this collaborative partnership with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Weyerhaeuser Company, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and other partners, and we could not be more grateful to the Montana delegation for their steadfast support of the project, this latest funding installment, and the Land and Water Conservation Fund that provides these critical funds.”

The Whitefish Lake Watershed Project will help protect wildlife, encourage timber production, and provide public access for hunting, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and other outdoor recreation.

In 2016, Tester secured funding for the initial phase of the Whitefish Lake Watershed Project and has been pushing for this new round of funding.

Tester, a longtime supporter of LWCF, supported a government funding bill that included $425 million for LWCF earlier this year.

LWCF uses revenue from offshore oil and gas drilling to support conservation efforts and increase public access to public lands.