The U.S. Senate today rejected an amendment by Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, that would have given priority to a popular habitat-buying program, but did not actually reauthorize it.
In a morning vote during debate on the Keystone XL pipeline bill, Daines’ amendment supporting the Land and Water Conservation Fund failed 47-51. It needed 60 votes to be attached to the Keystone bill.
Eight Republicans broke ranks and voted against Daines’ amendment, while two Democrats supported it. Montana’s Democratic Sen. Jon Tester voted against the amendment.
Immediately following that vote, Sen. Richard Burr, R-North Carolina, put up another amendment that would have explicitly reauthorized the LWCF before it expires on Sept. 30, 2015. It also failed, on a vote of 59-39. Tester voted in favor of Burr’s amendment, while Daines voted against it.
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The Land and Water Conservation Fund collects royalties from federal off-shore oil leases and makes the money available for matching grants to buy fish and wildlife habitat.
In its 50-year history, it has provided about $16 billion for conservation projects. That includes $400 million in Montana. The Blackfoot-Clearwater Game Range north of Ovando is an example of LWCF funding.
Daines’ spokeswoman Alee Lockman said the senator supports LWCF, but wants to improve it.
“We’ve heard from Montanans that there’s potential to improve transparency in the program, to ensure funds are better utilized to expand access to public lands, and to increase the state’s role in the program,” Lockman said in an email. “Steve believes it’s important that there’s an opportunity for these improvements to be considered. The amendment affirms the importance of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, while allowing the opportunity for commonsense improvements to be incorporated so that the program can be even more effectively used to maintain and increase access to our public lands.
However, Daines’ move angered many conservation group leaders in Montana, who argued it was an attempt to stall the 50-year-old program
“Montanans are losing enough access already as more and more special interests roadblock our traditional access to public lands,” Tony Jones of Ravalli County Fish & Wildlife Association said in an email. “The last thing western sportsmen and women need are Washington, D.C. politicians making it harder for sportsmen to access our public lands.”
“Last year, the LWCF celebrated 50 successful years of bipartisan support in protecting some of America's great public landscapes,” John Sullivan of Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers said in an email. “Our public lands in Montana are under attack from all sides. We are disappointed with Sen. Daines’ attempt to dismantle such a successful public land conservation program. We hope Sen. Daines will reverse course and listen to the citizens of Montana.”
The Senate continued to debate amendments to the Keystone XL bill, with a final vote on the cross-country oil pipeline project expected later Thursday afternoon.
