Tag: Public Lands

Daines, Energy Committee Move Forward Key Energy Reforms

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today helped pass multiple pieces of legislation that will help expand Montana energy production, permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and rein in the Obama administration’s overreaching anti-energy regulations.  “This bipartisan legislation will not only strengthen our country’s global competitiveness, but also empower our tribes to develop their energy resources, expand Montana families’ access to affordable energy and create good-paying energy jobs,” Daines stated. “I am committed to continue working for commonsense solutions that protect Montanans’ access to public lands and keep energy prices low for hardworking Montana families.” Daines also worked to secure

Daines Secures Additional Support for LWCF

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today secured close to $14 million in additional funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a program of critical importance to increasing access to Montana public lands and protecting Montana’s outdoors heritage. During today’s mark up of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY2016, Daines and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) successfully passed an amendment to increase LWCF programs by nearly $14 million, bringing the overall total funding for LWCF to the FY2015 enacted level of $306 million.  “LWCF is an important program for Montana that helps expand access to

Montana’s Senators Work to Improve Access to Montana’s Outdoors

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In honor of the upcoming National Trails Day, Montana Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester are working to improve maintenance of Montana’s National Forest trails. Daines and Tester have signed onto S.1110, the National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act of 2015, which would ensure existing Forest Service resources are better used to maintain National Forest trails. It would also significantly increase the role of volunteers and local partners in maintaining the usability and sustainability of the National Forest trail system. “Montana has a rich outdoor heritage that is critical to our state’s economy and our way of

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

“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

Helena Independent Record: Capital High seniors build custom fly rods for charity

Glancing back over his shoulder at 15 gleaming fly rods, Capital High senior Kreston Stevens told the crowd assembled in the machining shop Tuesday evening that he and the five other rod builders had learned more than just job skills. “We’ve been part of some really great, amazing projects, but by far this project has outdone anything we’ve ever done both in complexity and meaning,” he said. The fly rods built by the Capital High machining program will go to Big Hearts Under the Big Sky, a charity dedicated to taking veterans, children with life threatening illnesses and women recovering

Daines Honors Montanan of the Week: Sun River Watershed Group

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today recognized the achievement of the Sun River Watershed group from Cascade, MT for recently being named one of four finalists for the 2015 North American Riverprize. Since 1994, the group has prioritized the management and restoration of the river. Through his “Montanan of the Week” initiative, Daines each week will highlight a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the official Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress. Daines’ recognition in the Congressional Record is available here. Daines welcomes anyone to nominate fellow Montanans for Daines’ “Montanan of

Daines Statement on BBER Study on Timber Sale Litigation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement on the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research’s (BBER) study examining the costs and impacts associated with litigation of U.S. Forest Service timber sales in the Northern Region. “This eye-opening study confirms what we long suspected: Litigation against commonsense timber projects is having far-reaching, damaging impacts on Montana jobs, access to recreation and our environment,” Daines stated. “It is unacceptable that mills in Montana have to go far outside of our state to get logs, largely because 40 to 50 percent of the timber sale volume

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

“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 Works to Expand Recreational Access to Public Lands, Promote Montana’s Outdoors Economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today pushed for bipartisan solutions to preserve Montana’s outdoors heritage and protect Montanans’ Second Amendment rights. During today’s Energy and Natural Resources legislative hearing on S. 556, the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015, Daines stressed the importance ofprotecting access to Montana’s public lands and increasing recreational opportunities for hunters and anglers. “This is an important bill to Montana and I am a proud cosponsor. Like so many Montanans, hunting, fishing and access to public lands is a way of life for us. It passed down through my grandfather, to my dad, and to me, as a

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

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