Congress Needs to Keep Working on Permitting Bill
Montana hunters and anglers want a stronger grid and reliable power, but not at the expense of the laws that protect our waters, wildlife, and treaty promises.
The Montana Wildlife Federation issued the following statement on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (S. 5653) and the substitute amendment released by the bill’s sponsors:
“The Montana Wildlife Federation respects the senators who negotiated this bill and shares their goal of a modern, reliable grid and a faster path to building the energy Montana needs. The fact is, Montana hunters, anglers, landowners, fish and wildlife now endure longer droughts, warmer streams, rivers and lakes, and larger, more damaging fires on the landscapes we hunt, fish, hike, and ranch – responsible energy development that cuts emissions is part of keeping those places healthy. We welcome the provisions that expand capacity on existing lines, favor disturbed rights-of-way over intact habitat, and fund abandoned hardrock mine cleanup. Montana knows the cost of that legacy on its headwaters.
“But we cannot support the bill in its current form. Faster permitting and strong conservation safeguards can go together, yet this package gives up the second to get the first. Its changes to the Clean Water Act, NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act, along with limits on judicial remedies and locked-in industrial permits, put Montana’s rivers, elk and grizzly bear habitat, and public lands at risk of certain and often irreversible harm. The benefits it promises are not guaranteed, and projects built on rushed review are more likely to be poorly sited and short-lived.
“We are grateful to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes for their letter to Montana’s congressional delegation. CSKT restores native species, protects its waters, and operates Séliš Ksanka Ql̓ispé Dam, and Chairman Michael Dolson warns the changes could result in ‘irreversible damage to our lands, our resources and our very future.’ Our Board has resolved to support tribal sovereignty over fish and wildlife and to stand with Montana’s tribes. Treaty rights, including those reserved in the Hellgate Treaty, are binding commitments that any reform must respect.
“Changes this significant to our bedrock environmental laws require more time and more seats at the table. We urge the incoming Congress to start over in 2027 and work with states, Tribes, and the administration, including full government-to-government consultation, on durable reform that speeds responsible energy development while conserving the waters, lands, and wildlife Montanans depend on,” said Frank Szollosi, Executive Director of the Montana Wildlife Federation.
About the Montana Wildlife Federation: Founded in 1936, the Montana Wildlife Federation is Montana’s oldest wildlife conservation organization, representing hunters, anglers, and public lands advocates, and is an affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation. montanawildlife.org
