Tester Secures More Than $458,000 To Strengthen Blackfeet Tribe’s Energy Grid

Funding to improve grid reliability and decrease the frequency and duration of electrical outages on the Reservation comes from Senator’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

U.S. Senator Jon Tester today secured $458,123 to strengthen the Blackfeet Tribe’s energy grid and decrease the frequency and duration of electrical outages on the Reservation. This funding comes from the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants program which Tester secured as part of his bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Tester was the only member of Montana’s congressional delegation to support IIJA, and was one of the lead bipartisan negotiators who crafted the package.

“Having a safe and reliable energy grid is vital to protect communities against disaster, especially in rural areas like the Blackfeet Indian Reservation,” said Tester. “I’m proud to have secured this funding from my bipartisan infrastructure law to make critical investments that will decrease power outages and safeguard the Reservation’s electrical grid against wildfires and other extreme weather events so that Blackfeet families have a power grid they can rely on.”

Tester has led the charge to bolster Montana’s robust energy portfolio and modernize the state’s power grids. Through the IIJA, he secured significant investments to improve and modernize Montana’s electrical grid to support the next generation of energy. His bipartisan infrastructure law also supports clean energy research and development in the Montana University System.

Tester worked across the aisle for months to negotiate the IIJA with a group of five Republicans, four Democrats, and the White House. 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 legislation, 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. A full list of Montana provisions in Tester’s bipartisan infrastructure law can be found HERE.