[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 30 (Thursday, March 4, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1171-S1172]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BAUCUS (for himself and Mr. Tester):
  S. 3075. A bill to withdraw certain Federal land and interests in 
that land from location, entry, and patent under

[[Page S1172]]

the mining laws and disposition under the mineral and geothermal 
leasing laws; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, today I rise to talk about one of the most 
magnificent, the most inspiring places on Earth, the Flathead region of 
Montana. The landscape in this area is so vast, so unique, it is hard 
to put into words. But let me feebly attempt to describe the aura of 
colors you see as the Sun rises over the deep blue of Lake McDonald. 
Words cannot capture the joyful screams of families shooting down the 
Middle Fork of the Flathead through rapids with names like ``Bone 
Crusher'' and ``Could be Trouble.''
  Words cannot do justice to the awe that comes from almost touching 
Montana's legendary Big Sky at the top of Heavens Peak. The Flathead 
region, there is nothing like it. It is the crown of the continent. It 
is God's country. It is Montana.
  There is one particular area of this region that holds a special 
place in my heart; that is, the North Fork of the Flathead River. When 
I was a freshman Member of the House of Representatives, I took a hike 
with my friends, Jack Stanford and Ric Hauer, to the top of Mount 
Harding.
  Mount Harding is a little ways from the Flathead River, but this hike 
captured the feelings I have for the area. Thirty-five years ago, I 
still remember that hike, and I am not alone.
  Similar to everyone who ventures into the Flathead, every Montanan, 
every American, every Canadian, everyone who happens to be touched by 
the beauty of this place could not help but be stunned by the beauty of 
a place carved by glaciers a millennia ago and still untouched by 
modern development.
  That day on the Flathead, each of us knew we must do everything we 
could to protect this one-of-a-kind landscape for our children and our 
children' children. I would say, at that time, 35 years ago as a Member 
of the House, very proudly enacted the first multiyear environmental 
impact statement baseline study so we could assess what future impacts 
might be in the area, whether it was Federal, State, private or from 
British Columbia, just north, whatever it might be, so we knew what we 
had to do to protect the area.
  That promise has not always been easy to keep. Back then, I was so 
determined to protect this area, I flew up to Toronto and met with a 
fellow named Ron Sadler. Rod Sadler was president of Sage Creek.
  I was like a young lawyer, armed with tons of questions and 
depositions, and kept asking him--I kept asking him all these 
questions: What is your intention here? What is your intention there? 
This is such a special place. He is like: Why are you asking me all 
those questions?
  I explained: This is so special, I am going to do everything I can to 
protect it. The reason is because of the potential mining across the 
border, the place where all the water and the pollution would flow 
south into the North Fork of the Flathead. All the environmental 
degradation from that flowed south, but all the economic benefit would 
flow north. So, for me, I will not let this happen. I said to myself: I 
am going to protect this as much as I possibly can.

  For decades, the Flathead has been threatened by mining proposals in 
British Columbia. Over the years, coal mining, coalbed methane 
extraction, and gold mining have all been successfully beaten back. It 
has been a coordinated effort, one I am very proud to be a part of, to 
help protect the area. We have been working so hard.
  Finally, the Premier of British Columbia made a historic decision. He 
persuaded his Parliament to pass a resolution to protect and prevent 
any mining development in the North Fork. He made that on the eve of 
the Olympics. The Olympics--Mount Whistler and that part, the southern 
part of British Columbia, he made that decision just before the 
Olympics. I was overjoyed. I called him up, and I said: Mr. Premier, I 
cannot tell you how happy I am that you have done this. It means so 
much to Montanans, and we will do our part too.
  That is when I told him my plan. My plan, the legislation Senator 
Tester and I introduced today, will ban future mining, oil and gas, and 
coalbed methane development on the American side of the border; that 
is, in the Flathead National Forest, a portion of the North Fork 
watershed which is over 90 percent federally owned. Senator Tester and 
I have also pledged to work to retire the existing leases to protect 
this area once and for all.
  Many folks know about a book written by Norman McLean. Norman McLean 
wrote a story about Montana entitled ``A River Runs Through It.'' 
Though McLean's story focuses on another Montana river, the Blackfoot, 
also very special, I think the final line from his book resonantes here 
as well. This is what McLean wrote:

       Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs 
     through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood, and 
     runs over rocks from the basement of time. . . . I am haunted 
     by waters.

  I am very proud to be here today to introduce the North Fork 
Watershed Protect Act and ask my colleagues to join me in preserving 
these waters and the land that surrounds them so that every generation 
across the country, across the world, has the privilege of being so 
haunted by Montana's waters.
                                 ______