Max Baucus: “I join him in urging my colleagues to support final passage of the legislation before us. This important bill authorizes…”

“I join him in urging my colleagues to support final passage of the legislation before us. This important bill authorizes projects for flood control, navigation, shore protection, environmental restoration, water supply storage, and recreation. These projects often don't get headlines or much attention, but they clearly mean a lot to many people. Each of these projects meet our committee criteria. That is important, too, because the Environment and Public Works Committee gets lots of requests. The projects are technologically feasible, economically justified, and environmentally sound. In addition, each project has a local sponsor willing to share a portion of the cost, which is something we insist upon in order to show that the project is important locally. Passage of this bill will advance two projects that are very important for my State of Montana--the fish hatchery at Fort Peck Lake and the exchange of cabin site leases in the C.M. Russell Wildlife Refuge. The fish hatchery is particularly important since it will create more jobs and help our State's economy in northeastern Montana, a part of the State which is, frankly, hurting.”