WGA Annual Meeting in Montana features Interior Secretary Zinke, Jeff Bridges

Western Governors’ Association Chair and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock will host his colleagues and guests such as Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and actor and anti-hunger activist Jeff Bridges at the WGA Annual Meeting in Whitefish, Montana.

Ten Western Governors are expected to attend the June 26-28 meeting. Governors joining Gov. Bullock include WGA Vice Chair Dennis Daugaard (South Dakota), Matt Mead (Wyoming), Brian Sandoval (Nevada), Gary Herbert (Utah), David Ige (Hawaii), Doug Burgum (North Dakota), John Hickenlooper (Colorado), Butch Otter (Idaho), and Ralph Torres (Northern Mariana Islands).

The governors will participate in public roundtables on critical issues facing the West, such as energy grids security, infrastructure, and partnership with Canada.  Gov. Bullock will moderate a roundtable discussion of his central policy initiative, the Western Governors' National Forest and Rangeland Management Initiative.

The meeting opens with a session on the Canadian-U.S. relationship that takes place less than a week before Canada's 150th Anniversary celebration. Canadian Premier Brad Wall (Saskatchewan) and Canadian Ambassador David McNaughton will join the Governors.

Secretary Zinke will deliver a keynote on the second day of the meeting and have a public conversation with the Governors. Keynotes will be delivered on the same day by influential public opinion pollster Frank Luntz and acclaimed alpinist Conrad Anker.

Bridges will open the final day of the meeting by discussing his long-time anti-hunger activism and current role with No Kid Hungry, as well as engaging with the Governors on the issue.

On-site registration will be available beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday (June 25) at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake, 1380 Wisconsin Ave. in Whitefish. (Agenda)

Can’t attend? Follow the meeting on Twitter using the hashtag #WGA17.

Get the latest news about the West and its governors by following the Western Governors' Association on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.


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