To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain streams in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem and Smith River system in the State of Montana as components of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill designates approximately 300 miles of Montana rivers and streams as protected Wild and Scenic Rivers, including segments of the Smith River, Gallatin River, Madison River, Yellowstone River, and numerous tributaries. These waterways flow through the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, Lee Metcalf Wilderness, and Custer Gallatin National Forest. The designation preserves these rivers in their natural state while allowing continued recreational use.
Who Benefits and How
Outdoor recreation businesses and tourism operators in Montana benefit from permanent protection of rivers that generate billions of dollars annually through fishing, rafting, and other activities. Conservation groups achieve long-sought protections for headwaters ecosystems. Montana farmers and ranchers benefit from protected clean water sources that support the state's agricultural industry. Indian Tribes retain traditional fishing, hunting, and gathering rights.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The U.S. Forest Service (Secretary of Agriculture) and Bureau of Land Management (Secretary of Interior) must administer the new protected segments with dedicated staff and resources. Future hydroelectric development is prohibited on newly protected wild and scenic segments, though existing Madison River dams are exempted. Land developers and extractive industries cannot pursue projects that would impair the rivers' protected values.
Key Provisions
- Adds 20 Montana river segments to the Wild and Scenic Rivers System with classifications of wild, scenic, or recreational
- Prohibits land acquisition without owner consent and preserves existing water rights
- Exempts the Hebgen and Madison Dam hydroelectric projects from new restrictions
- Authorizes appropriations for implementation
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Designates 20 river segments and tributaries of the Missouri River and Yellowstone River Headwaters in Montana as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System to preserve their outstandingly remarkable values.
Key Policy Areas
Environment, Public Lands, Water Resources, Recreation
Primary Purpose
Designates 20 river segments and tributaries of the Missouri River and Yellowstone River Headwaters in Montana as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System to preserve their outstandingly remarkable values.
Policy Domains
Montana Headwaters Legacy Act
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Recreation and tourism industry
- Conservation groups
- Montana agricultural industry
- Indian Tribes
- Montana residents
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- U.S. Forest Service
- Bureau of Land Management
- Energy developers
- Extractive industries
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
ReportedReported by Mr. Manchin, with an amendment
Mr. Tester introduced the following bill; which was read twice …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Bureau of Land Management (Secretary of Interior), U.S. Forest Service (Secretary of Agriculture)
Montana outdoor recreation and tourism industry, Montana outdoor recreation businesses
Existing Madison River hydroelectric operators (Hebgen and Madison Dams), Potential future hydroelectric developers
Positive-direction: Existing Madison River hydroelectric operators (Hebgen and Madison Dams)
Negative-direction: Potential future hydroelectric developers
Montana agricultural producers relying on headwaters
Indian Tribes with cultural ties to the streams
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "secretary_concerned"
- → Either Secretary of Agriculture or Secretary of Interior, depending on which agency has jurisdiction over the specific river segment
- "secretary_of_interior"
- → Secretary of the Interior (administers certain Madison River and Yellowstone River segments)
- "secretary_of_agriculture"
- → Secretary of Agriculture (administers most river segments)
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
A river segment designated by paragraphs (233) through (252) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (as added by section 4(a))
Has the meaning given in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)
The Secretary of the Interior, with respect to a covered segment under Interior jurisdiction; and the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to a covered segment under Agriculture jurisdiction
The State of Montana
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology