Senate advances bills to preserve Montana creek, rename peak

BILLINGS, Mont. – The U.S. Senate has approved measures to protect a creek that flows through south-central Montana and to rename a peak in the southwestern portion of the state.

The bills approved Wednesday had backing from Montana’s two U.S. senators – Democrat Jon Tester and Republican Steve Daines.

The East Rosebud Wild and Scenic Rivers Act would designate a 20-mile stretch of East Rosebud Creek as part of the National Wild and Scenic River System.

The designation preserves rivers as free-flowing and prevents development.

The Alex Diekmann Peak Designation Act names a peak in the Madison range after a Bozeman-area conservationist. The 9,765-foot peak is located on the western boundary of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness.

Diekmann, who died in 2016, helped preserve an estimated 100,000 acres through his work for The Trust for Public Land.