Tester urges Interior to fight drilling near Glacier

BILLINGS — U.S. Sen. Jon Tester is urging the Interior Department to continue its fight against energy development on land in northwestern Montana considered sacred to some Native Americans, after the government dropped a court appeal in the matter.

Several Blackfeet tribal organizations and affiliates also filed court briefs asking the federal government maintain its opposition to all the contested energy leases in the Badger-Two Medicine area south of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.

In a letter released Friday, the Democratic lawmaker accused Interior Secretary David Bernhardt of undermining the Blackfeet Nation's attempts to prevent drilling in the Badger Two-Medicine area.

“I am deeply disappointed in your recent actions,” Tester wrote to Bernhardt. “These actions represent a troubling abdication of DOI’s responsibility and disregard for the opinions of both the Blackfeet Nation and Montanans. I urge you to uphold the Department’s promises to the Blackfeet Nation and all Montanans and rejoin the efforts to defend Badger-Two Medicine from unwanted development.”

Read more: https://mtstandard.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/tester-urges-interior-to-fight-drilling-near-glacier/article_534c708c-46cc-5f33-b5bc-fa25fe9bb8fe.html