# 119-hr-5102: Greater Yellowstone Recreation Enhancement And Tourism Act

119-hr-5102, Greater Yellowstone Recreation Enhancement And Tourism Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-1] (R-MT); status introduced (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5102
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-5102
- Congress: 119
- Title: Greater Yellowstone Recreation Enhancement And Tourism Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-09-02
- Sponsor: Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-1] (R-MT)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## 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. - 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.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Landowners and water users keep rights: benefit, low. 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…
- Funding to carry out river designations: benefit, low. 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: benefit, low. 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 ma…
- Rules for Hebgen and Madison dams: mixed, low. 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 Sect…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2570: Maximum Pressure Act
- 119-hr-471: Fix Our Forests Act
- 119-hr-2235: Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act of 2025
- 119-hr-907: Northern Montana Water Security Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-5102 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5102)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2725)
- [119-hr-2570: Maximum Pressure Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2570)
- [119-hr-471: Fix Our Forests Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-471)
- [119-hr-2235: Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2235)
- [119-hr-907: Northern Montana Water Security Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-907)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5102 (as of 2026-04-21).