Senators Baucus and Tester are taking another swing at getting the North Fork Watershed Protection Act passed . . .
Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester reintroduced legislation Thursday aimed at protecting Montana’s North Fork Flathead River drainage from mining and oil and gas development.
The North Fork Watershed Protection Act does not impede timber production, hunting or fishing and continues to have broad support of Montana businesses and conservation groups, according to the two Democratic senators.
Baucus and Tester have successfully negotiated the return of more than 200,000 lease acres held by energy companies in the North Fork, about 80 percent of the total leased acreage.
The legislation is aimed at securing the remaining acreage.