Commercial development won’t take place in the Paradise Valley and Gardiner Basin near Yellowstone National Park thanks to efforts by U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT).
U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Oct. 8 announced a 20-year mineral withdrawal of mining claims in the Yellowstone areas and removed 30,000 acres of land on the Custer Gallatin National Forest in the Paradise Valley and Emigrant Gulch from mining consideration.
“Some places are just too special to mine, and the Paradise Valley and Gardiner Basin near Yellowstone, is one of them,” Sen. Daines said following the secretary’s announcement. “I’m very happy to see the Interior Department follow the recommendation of the Forest Service and my request, to withdraw these special areas from development.”
The senator has actively worked with the Trump administration to guarantee the mineral withdrawal, according to an Oct. 8 statement from his office.
On Oct. 2, for instance, he helped favorably advance five proposed bills, including the Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act, S. 941, out of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
As a committee member, Sen. Daines supported S. 941, which would permanently protect the Paradise Valley and Gardiner Basin from mining. The bill was introduced on April 25, 2017 by U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT).
In September 2017, the U.S. Forest Service also recommended that the U.S. Department of the Interior finalize the proposed 20-year withdrawal following a request made by Sen. Daines.
Last week, the lawmaker thanked Secretary Zinke “for following through on his promise to Montanans and for taking action.”
Bryan Wells, owner of Emigrant Creek Cabins and a member of the Greater Yellowstone Business Coalition, praised the mineral withdrawal of mining claims. “Thank you Secretary Zinke for signing a 20-year mineral withdrawal on public lands in our area and thank you Senator Daines for supporting the mineral withdrawal and permanent legislation,” he said.