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119-hr-5102119th Congress

Greater Yellowstone Recreation Enhancement And Tourism Act

Sponsored By: Representative Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-1]

Introduced

Summary

Designates five Montana river segments in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The bill would protect those rivers for recreation and scenic values while explicitly preserving existing water rights and dam operations.

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  • Visitors and local tourism: It would add the Madison River (about 42 miles) and the Gallatin River (about 39.5 miles), plus Hyalite Creek, Cabin Creek, and the Middle Fork of Cabin Creek, to protect recreation and scenery on those segments.
  • Landowners: The Secretary of Agriculture could not acquire land or interests inside any designated boundary without the landowner's consent.
  • Water users and hydropower: The bill would preserve federal, Tribal, interstate, and Montana water rights; state that Hebgen and Madison Dams lie outside the covered segments; allow Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensing under Section 4(e) of the Federal Power Act; and prohibit expanding those developments into the designated segments.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Landowners and water users keep rights

If you own land inside a covered river segment, the federal government could not buy it unless you agree. The bill would also keep valid existing water rights in place. That includes Federal, Tribal, and interstate compacts in effect on enactment (including full use of their shares), Montana water rights, and water rights held by the United States.

Funding to carry out river designations

The bill would allow Congress to provide whatever money is needed to carry out these changes. It would not set a dollar amount. Actual funding would still need later approval by Congress.

New protections for five Montana rivers

This bill would add five river segments in Montana to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The Madison (~42 miles) and Gallatin (~39.5 miles) would be managed as recreational rivers. Hyalite Creek (~4.6 miles), Cabin Creek (~7.3 miles), and Middle Fork of Cabin Creek (~5.1 miles) would be managed as scenic rivers. The Secretary of Agriculture would manage these segments. The bill would also define “covered segment” to mean these five specific river stretches.

Rules for Hebgen and Madison dams

This bill would say the new river designations do not change existing permits or operations for the Hebgen Dam or the Madison Dam (both under FERC P-2188). FERC would still be able to license, relicense, or authorize their operation under Federal Power Act Section 4(e), despite Wild and Scenic Section 7(a). The dams and reservoirs are outside the covered segments and are compatible with the designations. Adding hydropower at Hebgen Dam would still be possible. However, the dams could not expand into the newly designated river segments.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-1]

MT • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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