Gov. Gianforte and CSKT Chairwoman Fyant Issue Joint Proclamation on Execution of Water Compact

HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Chairwoman Shelly Fyant today issued a joint proclamation following the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s formal execution of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai-Montana Compact.

“With the compact formally executed and with the Montana Water Rights Protection Act enacted into law, farmers, ranchers, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and all Montana water users will have the certainty they need about the use of one of our most precious resources, water,” Gov. Gianforte said. “I am grateful for the leadership of Chairwoman Fyant, state legislators, and members of our federal delegation in Washington, D.C. for making the compact and the settlement a reality.”

“Our elders continually remind us to protect our water and this day marks the beginning of the water compact implementation that will protect the water for all generations to come. The many people who worked on this, especially those who are no longer with us, I’d like to honor them for their efforts allowing us to reach this point. They were all instrumental in realizing this long-awaited vision,” Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Chairwoman Shelly Fyant said.

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The joint proclamation may be viewed here.

A timeline of the events leading up to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai-Montana Compact’s approval and the Montana Water Rights Protection Act’s enactment follows:

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On April 16, 2015, the Montana Legislature passed the Confederated Salish and Kootenai-Montana Compact, the result of years of negotiations to resolve the Tribes’ claims to reserved water rights.

On April 24, 2015, Governor Steve Bullock signed the compact.

On December 21, 2020, the U.S. Congress passed the Montana Water Rights Protection Act, which U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced in December 2019, with U.S. Senator Jon Tester as a cosponsor.

Six days later, President Donald Trump signed the measure into law.

On December 29, 2020, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes ratified the Confederated Salish and Kootenai-Montana Compact and the Montana Water Rights Protection Act.

On September 17, 2021, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland executed the Confederated Salish and Kootenai-Montana Compact.

–Governor Gianforte and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe