Montana Conservation Leaders
Support Great American Outdoors Act
In a
few days, the Senate will be voting on my bipartisan bill, the Great
American Outdoors Act. This will be one of the most historic
conservation votes in decades. This important bill has strong, bipartisan support
both in the Senate and in Montana. I have heard from Montanans across
the state and their support speaks for itself.
“We are thankful for the leadership of Senator Daines to secure
permanent, dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund,
and encourage Congress to act. Its five decades of success and
potential to make additional lasting impact are why we wholeheartedly make
this endorsement. The Fund, and ultimately the ranching, conservation,
recreation and most importantly the vitality of our rural communities in
all our states, deserves the full support of all Americans.”
– Gary Burnett, Executive Director, Heart of the
Rockies Initiative
“On behalf of the
SWMMBA Board I want to extend our thanks to Senator Daines for his
championing of the Great American Outdoors Act by both co-signing and
working across the aisle to ensure it's swift passage through the US
Senate. As you and the Senator are aware, this act will do a great deal to
improve federal public lands access for our membership, as well as all
trails users who experience our federal public lands. The Senator's
hard work on this bill is very much appreciated. Thank you Senator
Daines…” – Ian, Southwest Montana Mountain Bike
Association
“Pairing Montanan’s love for
public lands with funding infrastructure is win-win. We are very
pleased that Sen. Daines was able to help push the Great American Outdoors
Act forward. Let’s Build Montana.” – David
Smith, Executive Director Montana Contractors Association
“Weyerhaeuser appreciates the leadership of Senator Daines
on the introduction and passage of the Great American Outdoors Act.
This act will provide vital long-term stability and consistent funding
for the Forest Legacy Program, which has been the key federal program
that allows private forest landowners to put important working forests
under conservation easements. This federal program complements strong
investment from states in forest conservation, and it provides critical
support for keeping working forests on a continuous cycle of growing,
harvesting and replanting. Senator Daines is a champion of
conservation, forests and forest products,and his leadership on the Great
American Outdoors Act will provide for sustainable stewardship of forestland
for the long-term benefit of the state and country.”–
Kristen Sawin, Weyerhaeuser
“We commend
Sen. Daines for his role in passing the Great American Outdoor Act in
the Senate, which includes full, permanent funding for the Land and
Water Conservation Fund. This achievement shows how much we can get done
for public land protection in Montana when our Congressional delegation
is working together on behalf of public land legislation that
Montanans overwhelmingly support. We look forward to more of these same
achievements in the near future.” — Ben Gabriel,
Montana Wilderness Association
“Thank you. We support
you and our Montana delegation in passing the bipartisan Great
American Outdoors Act.”— Racene Friede, Glacier Country
Tourism
“Montana Trout Unlimited thanks Senator
Daines for his commitment to supporting Montana’s public lands
heritage and his tireless efforts to secure permeant, dedicated
funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund through the Great American
Outdoors Act. Today’s vote gets us one step closer to closing
the deal for our state’s coldwater fisheries and public access. As
the Senate takes up the legislation this week, we are also excited to
see progress on addressing decades of maintenance backlogs on our
public lands that benefit our wild and native fish and their
habitat.” - David Brooks, Executive Director, Montana Trout
Unlimited
“I am very proud of the work Senator Daines
has done on behalf of Montana sportsmen and outdoor recreation…
MOGA has supported this bi partisan effort from the beginning. Thank
you Senator Daines for your leadership on this important effort and
thank you for your insistence that it be
bipartisan.”– Mac Minard, Executive Director, Montana Outfitters and Guides
Association
"An important step was taken in the US Senate
today down the road toward a generational conservation achievement:
Full permanent funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Passage
of the Great American Outdoors Act means LWCF funding and tremendous
rural community, national park, and outdoor recreation economic benefits
for Montana and the nation. More legislative steps to go. Let’s
finish the journey.” Glenn Marx, Montana Association of
Land Trusts
“We recognize Senator Daines for
the leadership role he’s taken from the beginning in support of
LWCF. This important conservation program allowed the Rocky Mountain
Elk Foundation to complete more than 80 land protection and access
projects that conserved more than 152,000 acres of habitat for elk and
other wildlife. RMEF strongly urges members of the Senate and House to
rally alongside Senator Daines, pass this measure and forward it to
President Trump’s desk so it can be signed into law.”-
Kyle Weaver, President and CEO, Rocky Mountain Elk
Foundation
Dear Senator Daines: Russell County Sportsmen’s
Association of Central Montana strongly supports the Great
American Outdoors Act and specifically FULL funding for the Land and
Water Conservation Fund. As you are aware, Montanan’s are only
second to Vermont in the amount of time we spend outdoors. All aspects of
S. 3422 will provide, into the future, the quality of outdoor
experience that our grandparents and explorers observed.
"Dear
Senator Daines: Thank you for the great work on getting the LCW permanently
funded. Our community has benefited from this fund and I know a
great deal of smaller rural communities could benefit as well from the
opportunities afforded by this fund. If you need any further
help or information on this matter, I would be honored to get involved.
Thank you Senator and hope to see you on the Mountain Front
soon!" - Chris Hindoien. Mayor of Choteau
“The Great American Outdoors Act is smart
conservation that is long overdue. This bipartisan bill will make it
easier for hunters and anglers to access natural resources while also
improving our trails and recreation sites. It also makes lasting
investments in our outdoor recreation economy at a time when we need to get
Americans back to work. We want to thank all the co-sponsors for working
across the aisle and advancing this legislation.” - Whit
Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation
Partnership
“Sportsmen and women have been leading
voices in the effort to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation
Fund, as well as providing maintenance funding to agencies that manage
places critical to public access and fish and wildlife. Our public
lands and waters have traditionally been places of refuge, of solace
and of adventure. Never has this been truer than right now, when we
need to recenter and get our minds right. Now is the moment to
strategically invest in these places of refuge by funding shovel-ready projects
that sustain important habitat, increase public access opportunities,
and get people back to work. Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
thanks Sen. Daines for recognizing the importance of these strategic
investments and we look forward to seeing the Great American Outdoors
Act enacted into
law.”- Land Tawney, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers president and
CEO
"There's a good reason the Land and Water Conservation Fund
has enjoyed bipartisan support since the 1960's: it's just good policy.
For more than 55 years, LWCF has supported and funded the open spaces
and public land that we in Montana rely on for work, for play, and
for our way of life. Thank you to Senator Daines for helping to
guarantee full and permanent funding for this essential piece of
legislation." - Ben Horan, Executive Director, Mountain Bike
Missoula
“The City of Great Falls appreciates Senator
Daines’ support for the Land Water Conservation Fund. For
many years, the City has utilized the LWCF appropriations to complete a
wide variety of projects. These projects help support and
develop park land and recreational facilities for Great Falls
residents and visitors.” – Greg Doyon, City
Manager of Great Falls
"Over the years Billings has
received almost $2 million to fund construction and repairs in our parks.
The GAOA will be a great help as we plan future projects and
address a backlog of maintenance needs. Parks and trails are critical to
our Western quality of life. They attract visitors and support
our economy. Senator Daines has fought long and hard to get this
football over the goal line, and we appreciate his efforts."
– Bill Cole, Mayor of Billings
“Senator Daines
has my trust on any conservation plans. In the past, he has always
kept Montana and the public’s best interest in mind. Whether it be
using natural resources or saving access and land for Montanans and
their children to use responsibly- he always comes through. He really
cares and acts responsibly when it comes to conservation.” –
Brad Butler, Owner of Sweetwater Trucking
"The Great American Outdoor Act is landmark conservation to protect our
public lands. The full funding of the LWCF is a benefit to our
parks and forests at the local and state level. Mystery Ranch
appreciates Senator Daines leadership in support of this Bill not only
for the state of Montana but also for the nation's public lands and
National Parks." – Alex Kutches, Mystery
Ranch
I look forward to voting in support of my Great American
Outdoors Act in the coming days for full mandatory funding of the Land and
Water Conservation Fund and cleaning up the maintenance backlog in
our national parks.
