https://www.daily interlake .com /local_news/20200 119 /water_rights_act _seen_as_historic_ victory_by_some_di saster_by_others

Watch the water..

John Weaver, another rancher near St. Ignatius and who has a Ph.D. in wildlife biology, also supports Daines’ proposed act.

“Water is going to become even more precious” with the warming climate, Weaver said. “Maintaining enough water for native trout species is going to be a concern.”

But Olszewski still thinks “there is so much wrong with this legislation.” In his opinion piece, Olszewski – who is also running for governor – wrote the act is a “taking of water rights from 350,000 western Montanans.

“As a state senator who swore an oath to defend and protect Montana’s sovereignty, I am completely opposed to Sen. Daines’ legislation because of its devastating impact upon the sovereignty of the state of Montana and its western counties,” Olszewski wrote.

Olszewski believes the $1.9 billion that would go toward the Flathead Irrigation Project, plus the transfer of the bison range, infringe on this sovereignty.