Vote Yes for CSKT water compact

The Bitterroot Valley includes a diverse community of businesses and a wide variety of socio-economic backgrounds. A fundamental requirement to business success and property values alike is an assurance that core assets are viable and reasonably reliable year after year.

For those of us involved in Bitterroot agriculture, arguably the valley’s largest industry, we have the most to lose of anyone in this valley if the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes water compact doesn’t pass.

It is our water rights, and thus the property values associated with those water rights, that are at the core of our operations. That is why we strongly support the passage of Senate Bill 262, the CSKT water compact, and the greater security and predictability it brings to our water rights and property values.

We want to take this opportunity to thank Sens. Fred Thomas and Pat Connell for standing up for Bitterroot agriculture when they voted to pass SB 262. We strongly urge Reps. Ron Ehli, Theresa Manzella, Nancy Ballance and Ed Greef to also listen to their local agricultural constituency and vote YES on SB 262, the CSKT water compact.

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JR Iman is the president of the Painted Rocks Water Users Association. The following groups have also signed on and endorsed this letter and encourage their legislators to support the CSKT water compact: Painted Rocks Water Users Association, Woodside Irrigation District, Popham Ranch, Bitterroot River Water Commissioner Al Pernichele, Jack Pfau, Teller Refuge, Trexler Ranch, Trexler Angus Ranch, Supply Ditch, Woods-Parkhurst Ditch, Etna Ditch, Tiedt-Nicholsen Ditch, Kootenai Creek Ranch, Tucker Crossing Ranch, Double Fork Ranch, Bitterroot Irrigation District, Loren Hawkinson of Hawkinson Ranch, Valley Irrigation, Tim and Dan Huls of Huls Dairy, and McPherson Farms.