Montana – A group of conservative Montana legislators, including Missoula Rep. and House Majority Leader Brad Tschida, are taking aim at one of their own over support of the Montana Water Rights Protection Act.
A letter sent to MTN News states that “in a clear betrayal of our state and of President Trump, Senator Daines slipped the CSKT Water Compact into the coronavirus relief bill, despite his legislation having nothing to do with coronavirus.”
The letter further states that “with a less than 5% chance of being enacted, the deceptively-named “Montana Water Rights Protection Act” was added at the last minute. This went against his oath of office in which he swore on the Bible to protect the constitution.”
State senator Al Olszewski and other opponents of the deal previously said that the legislation gives too much potential power to the tribes, over water and land on the Flathead Reservation.
“Our constitutional water rights are worth fighting for, even it means going to court,” Olszewski previously told MTN News. “If we can keep the water fight in the Water Court in the state of Montana, all judicial precedent goes to us.”
MTN News reached out to Sen. Daines for a response to the letter.
“Without this bill, thousands of Montanans would have been forced into very expensive litigation and Montana’s economy would’ve take over a one billion dollar hit,” a spokesperson for Sen. Daines’ office stated in an email.
“This bill is a win for ALL Montanans. Senator Daines has been transparent with all Montana voters who overwhelmingly re-elected him about this bill, including working with folks on all sides of the issue to get feedback, and revised the bill to make it better for all Montanans,” the statement concluded.
The spokesperson also notes that the Montana Water Rights Protection Act was not part of the COVID-19 relief package, noting the legislation was part of the year-end appropriations bill.
