Jon Tester joins us for lunch - discusses MT conservation and environmental priorities

During the Montana Conservation Voters' 8th Annual Meeting, Montana’s newly elected U.S. Senator Jon Tester, joined the board of MCV and MCV Education Fund (MCVEF) staff and members for a lively and informative discussion of federal conservation and environmental priorities throughout the State.

MCVEF presented Senator Tester and his attending staff with an overview of Congressional Watch, and its success in tracking and communicating to citizens, the votes and actions of Montana’s federal delegation regarding the environment.

MCVEF staff also provided Tester and his Montana offices with “briefing books”, which give background information on federal priorities, submitted by Montana conservation and environmental groups.

Several issues were highlighted at the lunch, and representatives from the Wildlands CPR, Northern Plains Resource Council and Montana Sierra Club, shared their concerns on renewable, sustainable energy, restoring national forest lands and enhancing local economies, and the effects of a proposed mega ski resort on wildlife habitat and public lands at Lolo Peak, near Missoula.

Senator Tester shared his enthusiasm for protecting Montana’s clean air, water and lands, and his particular passion for developing homegrown, renewable energy solutions right here in Montana. The Senator also talked about his ideas for working with congressional colleagues to advance these efforts in Congress. He also said he would investigate weather to cosponsor the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (S. 309), which was recently introduced by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

S. 309 is a forward-looking bill, guided by scientific evidence, that establishes firm emission reduction requirements, by creating a long-term framework to gradually reduce global warming emissions by 80 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2050. To help achieve these reductions, the bill calls for a greater reliance on clean, renewable energy sources and improved energy efficiency.

Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund extends a big thank you to Senator Tester and his staff for taking time to listen and exchange ideas for protecting Montana’s unique natural assets and creating homegrown solutions that protect the environment, foster greater energy independence and enhance Montana communities!

For more information on the work and current federal priorities of the organizations that contributed background materials for MCVEF’s discussion with Senator Tester, please visit:

Wildlands CPR | Montana Sierra Club | Northern Plains Resource Council

League of Conservation Voters | Trout Unlimited | The Wilderness Society

We hope that Senator Max Baucus will also support S. 309! Please contact him and ask him to sign on as a co-sponsor of this important legislation.