Montana is the only state whose constitution guarantees every resident a clean and healthful environment. Our grandparents wrote that in on purpose, because they understood that our water, our air, and our open country are the inheritance we pass down. I am proud to have the endorsement of Montana Conservation Voters as I work to protect it.

For most families in the Heights, this shows up in daily life. It is the creek we fish, the elk we hunt, the water that comes out of the tap. Protecting those things is stewardship, the same value that tells us to leave a place better than we found it for our kids and grandkids.

Montana has learned some hard lessons about the boom-and-bust cycle. When an industry rushes in, takes what it wants, and moves on, families are the ones left holding the bill. A good steward plans ahead and builds the next opportunity before the old one fades. That means welcoming clean energy that keeps power affordable, protecting a homeowner’s right to put solar on their own roof, and holding every large operation accountable for the water and land it uses.

We can have a strong economy and clean country at the same time. Montanans have always known that. Keeping both healthy is how we hand this place down whole.

If our land and water matter to you, help us keep showing up at smithformontana.com/donate