Testimony of Hon. Eleanor Pratt
S. 2027 - The Fort Peck Fish Hatchery Authorization Act of 2000
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Water
Committee on Environment and Public Works

For the record, my name is Eleanor Pratt, Chairman of the Valley County Board of Commissioners. I extend a cordial welcome to you, Senator Crapo, and the committee and a thank you to Senator Burns for sponsoring this meeting.

Mr. Chairman, I feel the most important message that I can convey to you is that our entire community is in favor of the Fort Peck Fish Hatchery. Since it was first proposed in 1997, people from throughout the community and many from across the state, from all walks of life, have jumped on the bandwagon to promote this new fish hatchery. They have contributed money, written letters of support and traveled to meetings, all of which adds up to countless hours of time and all at their own expense.

The economic base for this area is farming, ranching and tourism. The fish produced should be compared to a commodity like that of grain and cattle. Therefore, having a fish hatchery at the Fort Peck Reservoir makes "good" economic sense because it would be an environmentally sound resource for this county, as well as the State of Montana. This part of Montana is known as Missouri River Country, and the tour guide brochures promote fishing at the Fort Peck Lake.

The Fort Peck Reservoir is the Riviera of Northeast Montana - a diamond in the rough - the potential of which, some 66 years after its construction, has still not been realized. Those who appropriated the funds to build the reservoir had no vision of how time would change the lifestyles of Americans. Travel in the 1930's was limited to the wealthy. Today, travel is for the majority of Americans - young and old. Fishing is "big business' and fisherman dollars are "good for the economics" of Valley County and all other counties bordering the Reservoir.

The need for economic help, better described as survival, for Valley County and the other rural counties with access to the Reservoir is stated by listing their annual per capita income*:

To further emphasize the severe economic concerns of Montanans, Governor Racicot has called for a Special Legislative Session to begin on May 8th to specifically address economic development.

Good, productive land was taken for the Reservoir, and the taxes that had been paid to the county were lost forever.

In summary, Mr. Chairman, we need your help, and that of your committee, to make the Fort Peck Fish Hatchery a reality. The support for the project is overwhelming -- it is a cooperative effort -- local, state and federal. The fish hatchery is important for the counties with access to the Reservoir and for the entire State of Montana.

Thank you for allowing me time today to testify before your Subcommittee in SUPPORT for the Fort Peck Fish Hatchery Authorization Act of 2000.

* 1997 Per Capita Income as set forth in Montana Local Government Profiles - Fiscal Year 1999