Bill to designate East Rosebud Creek as ‘wild and scenic' moves forward

WASHINGTON – A piece of “Montana-made” legislation to designate parts of East Rosebud Creek as “wild and scenic” has moved through a committee to the Senate floor.

U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines’ bipartisan bill would preserve the free-flowing condition of the East Rosebud Creek under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, according to a press release from Tester’s office.

The designation would apply to two sections of the creek totaling 20 miles in U.S. Forest Service land. East Rosebud Creek originates in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness and joins the Yellowstone River just west of Columbus. No private land will be impacted by this legislation, Tester’s press release noted.

“When Montanans work together, we get things done and this is a great example of on-the-ground collaboration,” Tester said. “Montanans know we need to protect the East Rosebud for our kids and grandkids – and we are one step closer to making that a reality.”

East Rosebud Creek is a popular for trout fishing, whitewater paddling, hiking and mountaineering, according to the American Rivers organization, which backs the bill. The effort to preserve the stream in southwestern Montana stems from a proposal to install a hydroelectic facility below Rosebud Lake.

It would become the fifth scenic river in Montana and the first so-designated since 1976,
“Protecting the East Rosebud Creek is important to the local community and ensures future generations can enjoy it,” Daines stated. “I’m looking forward to making this Montana’s first wild and scenic designation in over 30 years”

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.”

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