Senators: Montana communities to receive $15.5 million to create jobs

Jobs Bill funding will invest in energy efficiency, conservation

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Communities and tribes across Montana will receive another $15.5 million to create jobs through various energy efficiency and conservation projects, U.S. Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester announced today.

The funding is part of the recently passed Jobs Bill, formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Both Baucus and Tester helped write, supported and voted for the Jobs Bill earlier this year.

The $15.5 million announced today will help Montana communities pay for projects such as new, energy-efficient traffic signals and street lights, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, more efficient government buildings, transportation projects that conserve energy, and even projects to capture and use methane gas from landfills.

The State of Montana and Montana communities will receive the following funding through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program:

STATE OF MONTANA

• Department of Environmental Quality: $9,593,500

MONTANA CITIES

• Anaconda: $50,000
• Billings: $1,003,000
• Bozeman: $175,500
• Butte: $138,700
• Great Falls: $570,100
• Havre: $50,000
• Helena: $138,600
• Kalispell: $96,700
• Missoula: $680,400
• Miles City: $50,000

MONTANA COUNTIES

• Cascade County: $94,400
• Flathead County: $274,200
• Gallatin County: $198,700
• Lake County: $119,500
• Lewis and Clark County: $120,400
• Lincoln County: $80,000
• Missoula County: $151,000
• Park County: $67,100
• Ravalli County: $167,400 
• Yellowstone County: $151,800

TRIBES IN MONTANA

• Blackfeet Indian Reservation: $335,900
• Crow Indian Reservation: $261,200
• Flathead Indian Reservation: $283,400
• Fort Belknap Indian Reservation: $122,100
• Fort Peck Indian Reservation: $262,500
• Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation: $177,000
• Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation: $137,500

TOTAL: $15,550,600

“The Jobs Bill continues to go to work for Montana, to boost our economy, and invest in our future,” said Baucus, chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee. “This exciting news for cities, counties and tribal governments in our state because investing in energy efficiency and conservation is a smart way to save taxpayers money in the future.”

“These dollars will go straight to Main Street Montana to create jobs,” said Tester, a member of the influential Senate Appropriations Committee. “While putting folks to work upgrading buildings and improving transportation, we’re also investing in Montana communities. All of it will help rebuild our economy, which is why I voted for the Jobs Bill.”

Baucus and Tester said the $15.5 million is available to Montana communities now, as long as they complete paperwork to ensure proper use of the funds. The State of Montana is already helping communities through that process.

The funding announced today is in addition to the $52 million Montana is already receiving from the Jobs Bill for weatherization projects and for Montana’s State Energy Program.