The people's voice., 1958-04-11

prompt development of the AbSaroka-
Yankee Jim project on the Yellow
stone River, a multi-purpose, $85 mil
lion new start which would provide
more than 100000 needed kilowatts,
flood control, irrigation and some
$4,000 man-years of on-site employ
ment.
Absaroka Dam would be 16 miles
below Livingston. Yankee Jim Dam
would be 40 miles above Livingston.
In proposing this new start to Sen
ator Anderson's Interior Reclamation
and Irrigation subcommittee Senator
Murray said:
"Only 10 per cent of Montana's
water resources have been developed.
Approximately Is per cent of Mon
tana's human resources are now idle
Power made available by the
project could we'll mean the develop
ment of important ore deposits in
this area and related industrial de-
velopment."
Senator Murray is soliciting the
participation of local residents, the
Fish and Game Department, and con-
servation organizations in order, as
he put it, ''to realize the potential of
this project for improving fish and
wildlife habitat and developing recre-
ational resources" With Yankee Jim
reservoir as regulator upstream to
maintain relatively constant pool ele-
vation at the Absaroka Reservoir near
Livingston Intensive recreational
and resort use" of Absaroka Reservoir
was forecast by the senator. Senator
Mansfield, Representatives Metcalf
and Anderson joined Senator Murray
in recommending prompt development
of the project.
BUILD CLARK CANYON DAM
Senator Mansfield, also speaking
for the delegation, asked the same
subcommittee to endorse an initial
appropriation of $2.5 million to get
the $19.1 million East Bench Unit
and Clark Fork Dam near Dillon
underway. The Administrator recon-
mended an appropriation of only
$4,000 for this project, to maintain
contacts.
''The people of Beaverhead county
need and want this project" said |
Senator Mansfield. "Under normal
circumstances this project should be
started and current economic condi-
tions in the Northwest demand that
this irrigation project be con-
structed."
Senator Mansfield said $3.5 million
should be appropriated for continued
work on the Helena Valley Unit and
recommended an initial appropriation
of So million for Yellowtail Dam, ex-
pressing the hope that the matter of
satisfactory compensation for the
Crow tribe will be resolved before adj
journment so construction can be
started in the next fiscal year.
PUTTING KWs TO WORK
Then to complete this picture of
needed Montana water resource de-
velopment, Congressman Anderson
told the subcommittee of the delega-
tion's proposal for "an inter-con-
necCeQ power HeCWOfh IOI hollIdHd,
to put the electrical energy to work.
The electrical energy generated at
these dams, said Anderson, is like a
"giant whose hands are tied unless
adequate transmission lines are stimuli {
taneously made available to distribute ;
this energy in quantity Once j
v4 By "BRITT'' ENGLUND, Secy
Senator Mike Mansfield recently I
forged another anti-recession tool by t
securing unanimous Senate agree {
ment to an amendment to the road
bill which authorizes an increase of ,
S84O, 900 in forest highway funds to I
be used in Montana. t
The Mansfield amendment increases
forest highway fund authorization for /
1859 from $50 million to $40 million, S
If which $3,188,0OO will be available \
n Montana. The amendment also +
added $13 million for forest develop S
nent roads and trails, an increase s
rom $37. million to $40 million. The C
'inal part of the Mansfield amend h
nent added So million for public land t
L l.