Zinke Secures Montana Priorities in FY25 Interior Appropriations Bill

 Today, Western Congressman Ryan Zinke voted in favor of H.R. 8998 - the House Department of Interior Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act . The bill passed the House by a vote of 210-205, this is the fifth appropriations bill to pass the House floor for fiscal year 2025.  Zinke is a member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies subcommittee and took a leading role in crafting the funding bill.

“I told Montanans that I would use the power of the purse to get rid of bad policy and fund investments in public lands and that’s exactly what this bill does,” Congressman Ryan Zinke said. “It claws back regulations that are making gas, heating and electricity more expensive, gives local stakeholders a voice in federal land management, and finally delists the grizzly bear.”

“As a former Secretary of the Interior and a lifelong Montanan, I have a unique perspective on the Department of the Interior. I am confident that this bill allows the department to do their job but removes the woke policies placed by the Biden-Harris administration. This is a huge win for Montanans.”

Some Montana priorities in the bill include:

• $1 million Alberton for Water Tank Replacement
• $1.4 million for Missoula County for Water Well Upgrades
• Ending sue, settle, and seal
• Restricting funds for Waters of the United States (WOTUS)
• Cottonwood Fix
• Delisting Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) Grizzlies 
• Full funding for Property in Liew of Taxes (PILT)
• Increased oversight of Department of the Interior (DOI) Grants so that the DOI doesn’t fund protests againstits own department
• Blocked the introduction of Bison on the Charles M. Russell Wildlife refuge
• Report language on Glacier Park’s vehicle reservation system
• Blocked the Biden Administration’s ban on lead ammunition and Tackle on wildlife refuges
• Funding restriction on BLM Conservation and Landscape Health rule
• Defunded harmful EPA rules that would result in the early shutdown of Colstrip and raise energy costs for Montanans
• Increased funding for Wildland fire and permanently fixing wildland firefighter pay 
• Cut spending without putting the burden on tribes
• Prohibited funds for listing gray wolves
• Prohibited funding for listing Wolverines
• Mandated onshore and offshore oil and gas leases.
• Rescinded harmful Biden admin ESA rules