Tester Delivers $88 Million to Montana-Based Contractor to Replace St. Mary Diversion Dam from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Senator’s law funds Montana-based NW Construction contract, will create good-paying Montana jobs

U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced that a more than $88 million contract that is funded through his bipartisan infrastructure law has been awarded to Montana-based NW Construction to complete the St. Mary Diversion Dam Replacement project.

The contract is part of the up to $100 million Tester secured for the Milk River Project through his bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Tester negotiated and helped pass into law. Tester was the only member of Montana’s Congressional delegation to support the legislation.

“As a third-generation farmer, I know how critical this project is to thousands of families living in rural Montana,” said Tester. “Montanans have made clear that replacing the St. Mary Dam is long overdue, which is why I made sure to secure this funding in my bipartisan infrastructure law. I am glad to see a Montana company is running this project and I look forward to seeing shovels hitting the dirt to get the dam repaired and rehabilitated so Montanans have access to the water they need for decades to come.”

The $88,321,400 project award to NW Construction, Inc. out of Bozeman, Montana, will ensure water users along the Milk River have a reliable water source while protecting Bull Trout through the Endangered Species Act.

The first round of funding, $2.5 million, was announced in January and was used for planning and project design in 2022. Tester directly negotiated and wrote the provision of his legislation that provides up to $100 million to rehabilitate the Milk River Project, and in December 2020, he urged Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton to make the St. Mary’s diversion a top priority and get the resources out the door as quickly as possible.

Tester worked across the aisle for months to negotiate his bipartisan infrastructure law with a group of five Republicans, four Democrats, and the White House, and he was the only member of Montana’s congressional delegation to vote for it. Tester’s law is projected to create more than 800,000 American jobs and lower costs for businesses by making targeted investments that will strengthen our nation without raising taxes on working families.

Tester secured significant wins for Montana in the IIJA, including $2.82 billion for Montana’s roads, highways and bridges; $2.5 billion to complete all authorized Indian water rights settlements; $1 billion to complete all authorized rural water projects through the Bureau of Reclamation; $65 billion to deploy broadband to areas across the country that lack internet access and additionally make online connectivity affordable; and $3.37 billion to reduce wildfire risk nationwide, among others. Tester also worked to ensure that all iron, steel, and construction materials used for these projects must be made in America.

A full list of Montana provisions in Tester’s bipartisan infrastructure law can be found HERE.