Land Management Archives - Senator Steve Daines

Daines: Biden BLM’s Disregard for Montanans “Shameful”

November 19, 2025

“Those closest to the land should not be ignored or rejected” U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with Utah Attorney General Derek Brown and Micah Christensen from the Wyoming County Commissioners Association in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing. They discussed the Biden administration’s blatant violations of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the need to ensure state and local governments have a say in the planning process on issues that impact them most. Daines also discussed reliable electricity for Montana’s rural communities and the need to remove undue burdens on electricity providers. Watch

Daines Introduces Bill to Cut Red Tape, Support Floodplain Ecosystem Restoration

May 2, 2025

Daines Introduces Bill to Cut Red Tape, Support Floodplain Ecosystem Restoration U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced a bipartisan bill to reduce burdensome regulations and support floodplain restoration. The “Floodplain Enhancement and Recovery Act” will create a new expedited pathway for ecosystem restoration projects that meet low-risk criteria, streamlining approval for important restoration work while still upholding flood safety standards. “Critical ecosystem restoration projects across Montana have been abandoned due to FEMA’s onerous and costly ‘No Rise’ rule. This commonsense, bipartisan bill will reduce unnecessary burdens on important conservation and restoration work, while continuing to keep our communities safe from

Daines Helps Introduce Bipartisan Public Lands Bill

October 21, 2015

Legislation Would Reauthorize The Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today joined a bipartisan group of senators to introduce legislation reauthorizing the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA). Before it expired in 2011, FLTFA allowed the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service in the western United States to use the proceeds from sales of certain federally designated areas to protect lands of exceptional conservation value. “As an avid hunter and fisherman, I know the importance of having the tools necessary to protect and

Daines Statement on Department of Interior’s Sage Grouse Announcement

September 22, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement on the Department of the Interior’s sage grouse announcement: “While it is good news that the sage grouse is not listed as an endangered species, I remain concerned that the Obama administration’s land-use plans will have a harmful impact on Montana’s economy, our land users and Montanans’ way of life. The fact remains, sage grouse numbers have increased in the west by nearly two-thirds since 2013. Montana needs to continue take the lead on sage grouse conservation and I hope BLM can revise their plans to allow Montana to do so. Because a sage

Daines Statement on BLM and USFS’s Greater Sage-Grouse Plan

May 28, 2015

“Obama Administration’s Land Use Plans Are One-Size-Fits-None” WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today expressed his deep concerns about the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) newly released federal plan to manage the greater sage-grouse habitat. “We can’t protect the greater sage-grouse in a checkerboard-like fashion — after all, the bird can’t tell the difference between federal, state and private lands. I have serious concerns that the Obama administration’s land-use plans will have a detrimental impact on Montana’s economy, our land users and Montanans’ way of life. It’s the people of Montana, not federal bureaucrats

Daines Works to Prioritize State Based Sage Grouse Conservation Plans

April 22, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today helped introduce legislation that prioritizes state-created conservation and management plans for the recovery of the Sage Grouse. Daines is an original cosponsor of S. 1036, the Sage-Grouse Protection and Conservation Act, which would require the Department of the Interior to share scientific data with states, assist states in crafting and implementing their plans, and recognize the state plans for a minimum of six years. The Act empowers states to take the lead in Sage Grouse conservation while preventing a listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). “Montana is best equipped to manage and

Daines Calls for Local Support in Monument Designations, Refutes Democrat Leader Reid’s Remarks

March 26, 2015

“Protecting the voice of the people should not offend members of this body— it should be our abiding commitment – it should be our priority.” WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Daines today took to the Senate floor to reaffirm the need for local support in monument designations, refuting Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid’s recent misleading remarks on Daines’ efforts. Earlier this morning, Minority Leader Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor in opposition to a Daines amendment that would work to ensure local and state support for all future National Monument designations. “The Senator from Nevada is saying that Washington, D.C. should

Daines Calls for Montana Solutions to Land Management, Coal Jobs and Increasing Access to Public Lands

March 4, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today advocated for the Department of Interior to better incorporate Montana-driven solutions in the management of Montana’s public lands, energy resources and wildlife habitats. During this morning’s Senate Committee on Appropriations hearing on the Department of Interior’s fiscal year 2016 budget request, Daines pressed Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to work more collaboratively with Montana in the conservation and management of the state’s sage grouse population. Daines also called for Department funds to be better utilized to expand access to public lands and pushed back against the Department’s recently proposed energy regulations that could have

Daines’ Efforts to Stop Unilateral Monument Designations Draws Majority Support

January 28, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines’ fight to protect Montana from the Obama administration’s efforts to unilaterally designate new national monuments without local support today gained majority support on the Senate floor. Under a vote of 50-47, a majority of U.S. Senators today support Daines’ amendment expressing the sense of Congress that that all future National Monument designations should be subject to consultation with local governance and the approval of the Governor and legislature of states in which designation would occur. “I am encouraged that a majority of the Senate shares Montanans’ strong belief that the hardworking Americans most affected

Daines: Montanans’ Voices Must Be Heard in Monument Designations

January 23, 2015

Daines introduces amendment to help protect Montanans from Obama administration’s efforts to unilaterally designate new national monuments without local support WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines is fighting to protect Montana from the Obama administration’s efforts to unilaterally designate large swaths of land as national monuments, without securing local input and state support. Last night, Daines introduced an amendment to S.1, legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, that would express the sense of Congress that all future national monument designations should be subject to consultation with local governance and the approval of the Governor and legislature of states in

Tag: Land Management