[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 168 (Friday, December 17, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S10509]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         NORTH FORK PROTECTION

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about one of the 
things that I love most about Montana--the North Fork of the Flathead 
River. Everyone who experiences the Flathead Valley in northwestern 
Montana is awed by its pristine waters, larger than life landscapes, 
and raw wilderness. With its headwaters in British Columbia, the North 
Fork of the Flathead River forms the western boundary of Glacier-
Waterton International Peace Park. It is one of the last untouched 
places on our continent. For decades, the North Fork has been 
threatened by oil and gas and mining proposals in British Columbia. For 
the last 35 years, I have battled these proposals, one by one, each 
time victorious. After 35 years, we are beginning a new chapter of 
international cooperation in the North Fork.
  In February of this year, British Columbia and Montana signed a 
memorandum of understanding, agreeing to prevent mining, oil and gas, 
and coalbed methane development in the watershed. Senator Tester and I 
have negotiated the retirement of the primary interest in about 200,000 
acres on the U.S. side of the border--about 80 percent of the leased 
acreage--without cost to the American taxpayer. In June of this year, 
we asked President Obama to work with Canadian Prime Minister Harper to 
put in place measures to establish permanent protections for the North 
Fork. On June 28, the two met in Canada, and pledged cooperative 
efforts to protect this one of a kind ecosystem. Work is continuing 
behind the scenes on this effort, and we are very optimistic that it 
will be successful.
  Mr. TESTER. One of the most important pieces of this puzzle is 
getting measures in place to achieve permanent, sustainable 
protections. Without that, Montanans will never be certain that we are 
not just an election away from a change in the conservation status of 
these lands north of the U.S. border. But, we are on the verge of a 
breakthrough, and I know that the committee is very supportive of these 
efforts.
  To that end, we would like to confirm that if an international 
agreement is reached that includes measures to achieve permanent, 
sustainable protections for the North Fork of the Flathead River and 
the adjacent area of Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park then the 
Secretary may use funds available to the National Park Service from the 
recreation enhancement fee program, to implement conservation measures, 
to include wildlife management and habitat restoration, where such 
activities have a direct benefit to Glacier-Waterton International 
Peace Park consistent with park purposes.
  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I understand the importance of this matter 
to the Senators from Montana, and indeed all Americans. As long as the 
Secretary complies with the authorizing statutes, then I concur that 
conservation measures at Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park are 
a suitable use for the funding collected through the recreation 
enhancement fee program.
  Mr. TESTER. I thank the Senator. The North Fork of the Flathead is a 
true gem of Montana, and this clarification will help us cooperate with 
Canada to build upon the historic agreement between British Columbia 
and Montana, and establish permanent protections.
  Mr. BAUCUS. I thank the Senator. In 1975, I introduced the bill to 
designate the Flathead River as a Wild and Scenic River. It was 
designated as such a year later. For me, that began a lifelong effort 
to protect the North Fork. At that time I said:

       A hundred years from now, and perhaps much sooner, those 
     who follow us will survey what we have left behind . . . let 
     us leave the Flathead as we found it. Let us prove that we 
     care about those who will come after us.

  Today, this small step demonstrates that with cooperation between our 
two nations, between the Province and the State, we can ensure that 
every Montanan, every American, and every Canadian who follows us will 
survey the North Fork of the Flathead River and share our feeling of 
awestruck wonder that such a place still exists.

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