Potential legislation, decades in the making, aims to protect an iconic stretch of river in Montana, while drawing on a phrase from the state's literary history.
The "A River Runs Through It" plan would expand and protect wilderness areas around the Upper Blackfoot River in western Montana. It is an area made famous by Norman Maclean's book, "A River Runs Through It."
John Maclean, his son, said while it is much more popular now, it still matches the river of Maclean’s memories when he fished with his dad.
"He would say, 'You know, we used to fish this exact same hole when my father was alive. It was just like this back in the day.' Those are holes I've fished since then with my own sons and told them the same thing," Maclean reflected.
The proposal would expand the Bob Marshall and the Scapegoat Wilderness Areas, create a new wilderness area and designate other federal land for recreation, forest restoration and conservation. It would also protect wildlife migration corridors.
Supporters hope Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., or Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., introduce it before the end of this congressional session, changing it from a "plan" to the "A River Runs Through It Act." A coalition of ranchers, hunters, outdoor advocates and timber companies worked for 25 years to create the plan.
Chris Eyer, owner of Heart W Outfitters in Ovando, takes visitors on guided tours through the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Eyer is on the coalition's steering committee and said it is a great example of wildly different interests coming together to create local solutions.
"There's provisions for people who are mountain bikers and off-road vehicle users and there's provisions for the logging industry, behind some of the allocation of the land and some of the trees that we're going to be able to harvest sustainably," Eyer outlined. "There's something in it for everyone."
Maclean feels using the book's title for the plan is a fitting tribute for its 50th anniversary.The book was published in 1976. He emphasized it would be an important achievement for Montana's congressional delegation.
"Let them put their signature on it. Let it be a River Run Through It Act passed by Republicans in the Montana Congressional delegation and be a legacy for them forever," Maclean urged.
The plan combines the Blackfoot-Clearwater Stewardship Proposal, which former Montana Senator John Tester tried to pass during his time in Congress, and the Lincoln Prosperity Proposal. Both were coalition-led efforts whose creators decided to merge to increase the chances of congressional approval. However, opponents stalled such efforts, citing the need for other public lands approaches.