Tag: Energy / Natural Resources

What They Are Saying: 13 Conservation Groups Endorse Daines’ Bipartisan Conservation Easement Bill

U.S. SENATE – Last week, 13 conservation groups from across the nation expressed their support for Senator Steve Daines’ bipartisan “Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act.” Daines’ bill will stop abusive syndicated conservation easements, save taxpayers billions of dollars and promote conservation in the United States. The groups include: Land Trust Alliance, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, American Society of Appraisers, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Appraisal Institute, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Partnership of Rangeland Trusts, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, The Conservation Fund, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and The Trust for Public Land. To view the letter text,

Daines Calls for Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Support the St. Mary’s Milk River Project

U.S. SENATE — During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Steve Daines stressed the importance of passing his bipartisan bill to support the St. Mary’s Milk River Project in north-central Montana. To watch Daines’ remarks, click HERE. “Clean and reliable water is fundamental to human life. The Montana delegation has worked for over a decade to adjust the cost-share for the St. Mary’s Milk River project so that much needed reconstruction can take place. Any rural water package must ensure that folks on the Hi-Line get the help they need,” Daines said.  “This water system is over one hundred years old and has

Daines Cosponsors Bill to Speed Critical Mineral Production

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines cosponsored a bill to streamline the permitting process for domestic critical mineral production. Daines’ bill will help create Montana jobs, boost the economy, protect our national security and ensure the United States is competitive against China.  “If we don’t increase domestic critical mineral production we will continue to be reliant on hostile, foreign nations,” Senator Daines said. “This bill ensures we don’t take a backseat to China and other countries who have terrible environmental standards and atrocious human rights violations. We can produce these minerals here in the U.S. and grow jobs, protect the environment and bolster

Daines, Rosendale, Wyoming & Idaho Delegations Urge DOI Secretary to Keep Commitment to Follow Science, Delist the Grizzly

U.S. CONGRESS — Montana’s U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Congressman Matt Rosendale and the entire Wyoming and Idaho delegations today urged Secretary Deb Haaland to listen to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) study that states the grizzly bear has fully recovered in the Northern Continental Divide (NCDE) and Greater Yellowstone Ecosystems (GYE) proving that it is time to delist the species and requesting more information on the path forward. “The successful recovery of the NCDE and GYE grizzly bear epitomizes what the authors of the Endangered Species Act first envisioned. We are hopeful that future management of the bear will follow the science,

Daines, Feinstein Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Wildland Firefighters

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduced a bipartisan bill, the “Wildland Firefighter Recognition Act,” to support wildland firefighters. The bipartisan bill would require the Office of Personnel Management to create a job series for wildland firefighters that would help with recruitment efforts and boost morale. “In recent years Montana’s wildland firefighters have faced more intense challenges,” Daines said. “This bill will strengthen our preparedness for future wildfires and ensure we are recruiting and retaining the folks who are willing to put their lives on the line to protect Montana families and communities.” “Federal wildland firefighters put their

Daines Announces Over $12 Million for Rural Montana Counties

U.S. SENATE –U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that $12,197,140 will be allocated to rural counties across Montana through the Secure Rural Schools program to support public schools, roads and specific county programs.  “Montanans are the best stewards of our forests and our resources, so I am glad to see our rural, forested counties receive these critical funds,” Daines said. “I’ll continue working to secure a long-term solution for this funding and to increase timber harvests in Montana to promote healthier landscapes and rural economies.” For full information on the grants, click HERE. To see the county-by-county breakdown of these grants, click HERE.

Daines Urges Biden to Listen to Montana Leaders, Stakeholders Before Enacting Ambiguous Land Grabbing Program

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today demanded clarification from President Biden on his vague Executive Order establishing a mandate to put restrictions on 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 and urged him to include Montana stakeholders in future conversations. “Conservation remains a top priority for Western congressional members, and our constituents’ lives and livelihoods rely upon a healthy, actively-managed landscape. However, the 30 by 30 initiative displays a dangerous thoughtlessness and far too many of our questions have been left unanswered. It is also our understanding that key constituencies have yet to be engaged on this initiative. As

Daines, Tester, Rosendale Bill to Fund Dam to Provide Water to Farmers and Ranchers

U.S. CONGRESS – Today, U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester and Congressman Matt Rosendale introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to provide much needed funding to Montana water infrastructure. The bill, “St. Mary’s Reinvestment Act,” legislation will ensure the St. Mary’s Diversion Dam receives $52 million for rehabilitation efforts, and require the Bureau of Reclamation’s (BoR) to use an ability-to-pay study on what the current water users could afford to pay for the project and set the cost share for the rehabilitation based on that study.                                  “Farmers and ranchers’

Daines Introduces Bill to Create and Protect Montana Coal Jobs, Reduce Emissions

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today reintroduced legislation to help create Montana coal jobs while reducing emissions. The bill, the “Carbon Capture Modernization Act,” supports the use of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technology by modernizing the Section 48A tax credit for coal facilities. “With American innovation, we can support our coal jobs and still reduce our carbon footprint. As the Biden Administration launches attack after attack on traditional American energy, it’s important we support Montana coal facilities and provide incentives to use this technology,” Daines said. Background: Daines has been an outspoken supporter of carbon capture technologies during his time in Congress. Last September, Daines

Daines Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Support Montana Energy Manufacturing Jobs

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced the bipartisan “American Jobs in Energy Manufacturing Act” that would incentivize American manufacturing facilities to expand to energy producing communities that have suffered from economic turndown. “This bipartisan bill will support Montana jobs and increase investment in coal and other energy producing communities in Montana. We must protect and grow Made in Montana and Made in America energy,” Daines said. Read the full text HERE. This bill will revive the Section 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit by investing $8 billion in American manufacturing. $4 billion of the $8 billion will be set aside for communities where coal mines