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After meeting with timber, fire and wildlife supporters in Kalispell on Monday, Sen. Steve Daines predicted a new forest management bill he’s co-sponsored could be law in four months. “We spent the time to get a strong, bipartisan launch,” Daines said on Monday. “There’s a high probability we’ll have a hearing when we go back in September, and the goal is to get the bill signed into law by the end of the year.” Republican Daines and Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California introduced the Emergency Wildfire and Public Safety Act on Aug. 4. It has since picked up two

Montana Sen. Steve Daines has introduced new legislation meant to reduce the risk of large wildfires on federally managed lands, and to make it harder for environmental groups to halt permitted timber harvests by obtaining federal court injunctions. Daines announced his submission of the Emergency Wildfire and Public Safety Act during a news briefing on Wednesday, describing it as “a major bi-partisan breakthrough” in the effort to reform forest management practices. “This is a Democrat from California, (Sen.) Dianne Feinstein, working with a Republican from Montana, myself, because we share a common interest to overcome a problem, and that is

Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines will introduce legislation today to remove a potential roadblock to forest management projects on federal land. Daines’ bill would remove a requirement — imposed as a result of a lawsuit five years ago — that the Forest Service consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service on land management plans when “new information” emerges about potential effects on endangered species. In practice, the requirement means the Forest Service must reconsult with the Fish and Wildlife Service on forest management plans that have often been in place for years, even when a specific project isn’t in question. That takes

Montana Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines are applauded for introducing legislation to make permanent full funding for the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. Now Rep. Greg Gianforte needs to get on board. When the state’s delegation speaks with unanimity, it wields much more influence in the halls of Congress. Democrat Tester and Republican Daines introduced a measure recently that would allocate $900 million – the maximum – every year for the LCWF. The fund is fed by royalties paid on offshore drilling and it helps pay for a variety of outdoor amenities – from city parks to fishing

The new version of the 2018 Farm Bill may have a lot of Montana-based timber policy changes, including restrictions on court challenges to logging projects and simplified forest management rules. Much of that will come from Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, who filed 20 amendments to the bill on Monday evening. Those additions will be discussed in mark-up sessions over this week. “Chairman Roberts asked me to take the lead on the forestry side,” Daines said on Tuesday, referring to Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas. “I’m using that as another vehicle to work on forest management reform.” Daines said a