Thanks to a reader for forwarding a link to this article in yesterday’s Flathead Beacon.
From the article: “The largest hydropower permitting reform legislation in decades has garnered broad support, including from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, American Rivers and leaders of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region.”
Daines Pushes Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Boost Dam Licensing Efficiency
Could this have anything at all to do with future plans of the CSKT for more dams?
After all, Northwestern didn’t quit claim deed two massive Flathead River water rights to the tribe for nothing.
The state based water rights linked below include copies of the quit claim deed from Northwestern to the CSKT, and the original water rights claim filed by the Montana Power Company in 1982, The claims carry a 1960 priority date and each claim is for 25.5 million acre feet of water per year on the Flathead River.
Originally there was a Reclamation plan to put four dams on Flathead River: Kerr, and two at Buffalo Rapids #2 and #4 as noted below. The fourth dam was to have been at Knowles – Paradise, however it did not materialize
NORTHWESTERN AND CSKT TIES
Are there more dams planned for the future?
Water Claim 76L 94412 00 Buffalo Rapids
Water Claim 76L 94413 00 Buffalo Rapids 4
United States Claim Filed for CSKT June 2015 – Future Hydropower
Let’s not forget the common denominators that exist between the Flathead Compact and Kerr Dam, and the fact that all of this is done with the full consent, funding and backing of the federal government and Montana’s Congressional Delegation.
If you’re interested in information about Knowles – Paradise Dam, here is a link to the 1959 Congressional Hearings concerning the Knowles – Paradise project.
(Its rather large (19 meg), so be patient for it to load).
Western Montana Water Rights 
I cannot help but think that when CKST has successfully “sold” water to downstream users, it will be very hard to take back the water that already is owned via water rights to Montana citizens.
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Is this some sort of domestic counterpart to Congress’s Millennium Challenge Corporation foreign aid scam?
This is where Congress spends vast amounts of money on “foreign aid” for the exploitation and extraction of natural resources and wealth of countries around the world. Financial beneficiaries include family members of the political class as well as US Contractors, and Non-Governmental Entities, and “investors,” all to the detriment of the people living in those countries.
After all America has vast resources just waiting for exploitation.
The way we see it, we think the politcos see us as a transfer of wealth just waiting to happen.
Climate change, clean energy. Congress invents the crisis, and the wolves step in to save the day.
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