Landmark Montana Headwaters Legacy Act is back in the Senate and needs your support

On November 16, 2023, the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act (MHLA) was reintroduced on the floor of the U.S. Senate by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT). This groundbreaking legislation protects some of Greater Yellowstone’s wildest river segments, including the mighty Yellowstone River, the Gallatin River’s fishing paradise, and the beloved Madison River.

The Gallatin River in southwest Montana is home to abundant wildlife, scenic limestone cliffs, incredible trout fishing, and roaring whitewater rapids. The Montana Headwaters Legacy Act protects 39 miles within a Wild and Scenic designation.

It’s difficult to overstate the importance of clean waters and robust rivers in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The waterways across the landscape are a lifeblood for the ecosystem, providing healthy riparian habitat and vital corridors for wildlife movement. The flowing waters of Greater Yellowstone sustain Yellowstone and westslope cutthroat trout fisheries – a key food source for many species. Protecting and preserving these rivers is imperative for maintaining the ecological integrity and the extraordinary natural beauty of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

However, the future of these rivers is not secure. Climate change, new dams and diversions, a rapidly growing population, and a variety of other pressures are putting Montana’s wild rivers at risk. We need to ensure the future of these important waterways now.

Luckily, the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act conserves many vulnerable river segments as healthy and free-flowing for generations to come.

As a key part of Wild and Scenic Rivers legislation, the highest form of river protection in the United States, the MHLA will preserve 384 river miles across 20 of the state’s most iconic rivers, most of which are located within Greater Yellowstone. This bill effectively doubles the number of Wild and Scenic Rivers in the state.

Thanks to Senator Tester, this bill is back in the U.S. Senate and ready to become law.

“Protecting public lands in Montana is about preserving the livelihoods of our communities and making sure we pass on that heritage to future generations – and this bill was built from the ground up to do just that. The Montana Headwaters Legacy Act is built on the passionate work of ranchers, conservation organizations, recreationists, and advocates alike, and I’m proud to continue this fight to ensure that clean, free-flowing rivers, untouched by special interests, can be enjoyed by generations of Montanans to come. Together, we’ll get this bill signed into law to protect the rivers, lakes, and land that make Montana the Treasure State.”

—Senator Jon Tester

The MHLA is the result of more than a decade’s worth of outreach and collaboration to safeguard Montana’s rivers. This made-in-Montana bill was stewarded by the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and its partners at Montanans for Healthy Rivers. It is supported by thousands of people across the Treasure State. Based on a recent state-wide public opinion poll, 85 percent of Montanans want the MHLA to become law.

But, it’s not a done deal.

With this reintroduction, we now have until the end of the 118th Congressional session in December 2024 to move the MHLA through Congress and onto President Biden’s desk. Time is short, and we need the full support of Montana’s Congressional delegation for a swift bill passing. Now is the time to write and call Montana’s congressional delegation to make sure they know how much protecting Montana’s rivers means to you.

If you are a Montana resident who cares about rivers, please reach out to Representative Ryan Zinke (R-MT) and express your support for the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act. With his backing of a companion bill in the House of Representatives, we’ll soon pass this legislation and protect these crucial rivers and streams.

And if you want to help even further, please consider a gift to the Greater Yellowstone Coalition so we can push forward these river conservation efforts and more. With supporters like you, Greater Yellowstone’s rivers will forever endure. Thank you for being a defender of this remarkable ecosystem!

—Charles Drimal, Deputy Director of Conservation