Salomon: Water compact won't pass in 2013

HELENA – Weighing in on the water issues that characterize the American West, legend has it that Mark Twain once said, “Whiskey is for drinking. Water is for fighting over.”

Given the intense scrum enveloping the proposed Flathead Reservation water compact before the state legislature, the latter part of that statement has certainly proven that it is still applicable to modern times.

In this past week alone, many new developments have stoked the fires of the already intense debate surrounding the agreement that aims to quantify the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ water rights.

On Friday, the compact appeared to be facing a significant setback when its sponsor, Rep. Dan Salomon of Ronan, announced that he would be abandoning the bill and diverting his attention to exploring an alternative. Salomon said that the compact simply did not have the support required to pass through the chamber.

“I didn’t feel we could get the original bill through the legislature,” Salomon said.

Instead, Salomon is preparing to introduce another bill that would allow a two-year legislative study of the proposed water compact.

“Lawmakers want to make an informed decision and they’re having a hard time doing so [in the current session],” Salomon explained.

Salomon emphasized that the new bill he intends to introduce will solely focus on increasing knowledge of the existing agreement and will not require renegotiation.

The day after Salomon withdrew his support for the original bill, the compact was given new hope when it was championed by an unlikely source in Bozeman Democrat Rep. Kathleen Williams. Williams’ introduction of House Bill 629 aims to garner legislative approval for the agreement this year. The measure will be discussed in a judiciary committee this week.

Besides fractured legislative support, the compact has also been a divisive issue in the public eye. Despite assurances to the contrary, many irrigators on and off the Flathead Reservation are concerned about the influence the agreement will exert on their present and future water supply. A vocal contingent of citizens opposing the compact has been in Helena to lobby for extending the state water commission beyond June of this year.

Meanwhile, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes remain adamant in their push to have the agreement ratified during this legislative session. At a meeting last week, the Tribal Council released a statement reaffirming their support of the document that has been years in the making.

“The time for solving the water rights stalemate in Western Montana is now,” the council stated. “We’ve talked through every concern with the state negotiation team, we’ve compromised and sacrificed to see this compact through to completion. We trust this tried and true state process that has delivered 15 previous compacts. We expect the Legislative leaders will act in the best interest of Western Montana and approve the Compact. We’ve all waited long enough.”