By Marne Hayes EBS COLUMNIST
Ask anyone who calls Big Sky home what summers mean to them, and it’s likely that the Gallatin River will get an honorable mention in some capacity. The way the mist rises off the river in the morning, the feel of that feisty trout on a fly line, a quiet riverside meandering, or the thrill of a whitewater experience shared with friends and family. It’s all part of how we experience, and love, the Gallatin.
And with all cherished assets, the Gallatin is among Montana’s treasured rivers that deserve protection in the highest form. Many of our rivers are facing unprecedented challenges and impacts from pressures like development, high recreational use, warming temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns. Hot summers, like the one we are currently experiencing, remind us how valuable cool, free-flowing rivers are to Montanans, and why passing legislation like the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act is so important. Today, we are closer than ever to protecting the Gallatin, with MHLA pending committee action in Congress, giving us hope for the protections in perpetuity that the Gallatin and other rivers deserve.
The Task Force has been an unwavering proponent of this federal legislation that was crafted by Montanans and for Montanans, and introduced by Sen. Jon Tester, with the end goal of ensuring our rivers—including the Gallatin—remain cold, clean and free-flowing now and for future generations. The MHLA would accomplish this by placing the highest level of federal protection, under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, on the section of the Gallatin from the Yellowstone National Park boundary to the confluence with Spanish Creek.
In total, it would permanently protect 384 river miles along the Boulder, Gallatin, Madison, Smith, Stillwater, and Yellowstone rivers, preserving the remarkable values of some of Montana’s most iconic waterways. The bill would grant federal protection under a Wild and Scenic designation for hundreds of river miles across 20 rivers and streams, marking the biggest advance for river conservation in Montana in almost 50 years. With so much at stake for these waterways which are essential for healthy fishery habitats, and are part of a delicate ecosystem balance, MHLA seems to be a long-overdue win-win that is imperative to protect the rivers we love.
As Montanans who love our rivers, we are a diverse community of recreationists, conservationists, business owners, developers, agricultural producers, loggers and more. The one thing we all have in common is our interest in fiercely protecting the places where we find solitude, where we make memories with our friends and families, and where we can tell our stories about experiences on the rivers we love. For Big Sky, this includes the Gallatin.
The last piece of this legislative puzzle lies in the hands of Montana’s congressional delegation. Montana and Washington, D.C. can seem worlds apart, but with four out of five Montanans in support of MHLA, it should be an easy ask of our elected officials to support these rivers that are the lifeblood of our communities.
It is time to get the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act across the finish line. Its significance for Montana’s rivers and the communities that surround them is invaluable, and your voice can make a difference. By reaching out to Sen. Steve Daines, we can take our voices to Washington, letting our Montana decision makers know that we support the protections that MHLA will deliver to rivers like the Gallatin.
To encourage Sen. Daines’ support, please reach out: steve@daines.senate.gov or 202-224-2651.
Marne Hayes is the communications manager for the Gallatin River Task Force.
