(U.S. Senate) - To preserve one of Montana's most hidden treasures, Senator Jon Tester and Senator Steve Daines today introduced a bill to designate the East Rosebud Creek as wild and scenic.

The bill, written with local input through years of collaboration, will protect 20 miles of East Rosebud Creek under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. This designation will preserve the free-flowing condition of the pristine creek located south of Roscoe, Montana.

"East Rosebud Creek is one of Montana's most scenic streams," Tester said. "This bill is a great example of folks on the ground coming together and producing a made-in-Montana solution that ensures Montanans can hike and fish here for generations to come."

"Growing up in Montana, I spent countless hours backpacking in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. I know how special the East Rosebud is to our state and I'm proud to join Senator Tester and Representative Zinke in working to protect this treasure for future generations," Daines said. "I will continue working for balanced policies to conserve our state's outdoors heritage and improve access and management of our public lands."

"We greatly appreciate Senators Tester and Daines working to protect the East Rosebud Creek," said Frank Annighofer, Vice President of Friends of East Rosebud. "This area is a special place where many Montanans have chosen to live and raise our families-some folks have been here for generations. The East Rosebud attracts visitors from all over the world, yielding significant economic value to surrounding communities and our state. This bill will ensure the East Rosebud stays a special place for generations to come."

"Wild and Scenic protection of our pristine and beautiful rivers is the best way to ensure that wildlife, native fish and people thrive and survive well into the future," said Caroline Byrd, Executive Director, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. "Introduction of this bill by U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines to protect East Rosebud Creek is a very important step toward greater protection for the outstanding water resources of the 20 million acre Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Our wild mountain rivers provide the water for more than 55 million people in North America. Along with our 40,000 members and supporters, we are proud of U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines for their leadership and bipartisanship on behalf of this important Wild and Scenic East Rosebud legislation."

The bill designates two sections, totaling 20 miles, of the creek that run entirely though Forest Service land. East Rosebud Creek originates in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness and flows out into the prairie where it joins the Yellowstone River just west of Columbus. No private land will be impacted by this legislation.

In 1968, Congress passed the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to preserve rivers with cultural and recreational value in their free-flowing condition for present and future generations.

Less than one-half of one percent of Montana's approximately 170,000 miles of river is designated as wild and scenic, and the last time a Montana river was protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was in 1976.

Representative Ryan Zinke is also introducing similar legislation in the House.