FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 8, 2022

Montanans Urge Passage of the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act

Senator Shane Morigeau, Mountain Mama board member Amy Coseo, The Trail Head’s Todd Frank and the MCV Education Fund team up to support BCSA with a virtual event

(MISSOULA, Mont.) – Today, the Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund hosted local panelists state Senator Shane Morigeau (SD-48), Mountain Mama board member Amy Coseo and The Trail Head’s Todd Frank for a discussion on U.S. Senator Jon Tester’s Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act (BCSA). The panel dove into the history of the Montana-made bill’s on-the-ground coalition and highlighted some of the many economic benefits the bill would bring to the region and the state.

“The region has been important to the Salish, Kootenai and Pend d’Oreilles people for thousands of years as it was aboriginal territory well known for hunting and gathering as well as a popular trading route,” Senator Morigeau stated. “Efforts to protect it are not new. By preserving this special spot, we are preserving not only crucial habitat but what defines our identity as Montanans.”

The Blackfoot River and its watershed are at the center of Senator Jon Tester’s BCSA, which he introduced at the request of the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project with the support of the local timber industry last session and again in April 2021. It will protect nearly 80,000 acres of wilderness, open over 2,000 acres to recreational snowmobiling use and protect another 4,000 acres for biking and hiking.

The MCV Education Fund’s Executive Director and panel moderator Whitney Tawney acknowledged the work by Senator Tester in Washington:

“Montana’s senior Senator, Jon Tester, continues to be a fierce advocate to get this Montana-made, Montana-approved legislation across the finish line. He understands that passing BCSA will boost Montana’s booming $7.1 billion outdoor recreation economy and expand outdoor recreation opportunities in the Blackfoot and Clearwater Valleys. We’re looking forward to finally seeing this bill become law.”

This legislation has been in the works for some time and stems from decades of collaborative efforts between ranchers, timber mill workers, outfitters, conservationists, mountain bikers, business owners and others with the goal to protect the Blackfoot River by permanently protecting its most important tributaries.

Amy Coseo, a founding board member of Mountain Mamas, emphasized the role Montana leads in such collaborative efforts by saying, “Montana has such a rich history of bridging across divides and interests and the BCSA is a wonderful example of that collaboration. By coming together with a common goal and shared values, the coalition made Montana a national leader for what collaborative solutions could be.”

Since its initial conception in the early 2000s, coalition members involved with the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project have promoted its economic and conservation opportunities and Montanans are on board. A recent poll confirmed 75 percent of Montanans support the effort.

“Our community is ready to see the BCSA formally protected so we can move forward with other projects,” Frank states. “It’s a broader question about the progress of conservation and preservation in Montana. We’re losing economic opportunities by keeping this from moving forward.”

Montana’s junior Senator Steve Daines, who sits on the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, opposes the measure unless it’s paired with legislation to strip an unknown number of wilderness study areas of their protections. This would likely result in the loss of protection for hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands across Montana. The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is expected to markup the bill this month but has already postponed several previously scheduled markups.

The MCV Education Fund is a proud member of the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project.