Commerce Awards Grant Funding to Three Coal-Impacted Communities
HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that more than $240,000 in grant funding has been awarded to three Montana communities to support vital public safety and development projects in coal-impacted areas. The funding was allocated to these communities by the Montana Coal Board.
“Commerce is proud to support these projects, which will have a positive impact on the residents of Montana’s coal country. In the last five years, more than $12 million of Coal Board grant funding has been awarded to eight counties, eight school districts, seven cities or towns and one tribe,” said Montana Department of Commerce Director Marta Bertoglio.
The following communities and projects will receive Coal Board funding:
- The City of Colstrip will receive $30,000 for the preparation of an updated economic diversification strategy.
- Fergus County’s Roy Water and Sewer District will receive $50,000 for the purchase of a service truck.
- The City of Hardin will receive $113,457.80 for the purchase of communications equipment for the Hardin Police Department.
- Hardin Public Schools will receive $50,000 to resurface its tennis courts.
The Montana Coal Board awards Coal Board Impact Grants to counties, communities, school districts, tribal governments or other governmental units to assist them in adequately providing governmental services or facilities that are needed as a direct consequence of an increase or decrease in coal development, or in the consumption of coal by a coal-using energy complex. The Coal Impact Area Report can be found here, along with a local governmental unit designation list and a map of coal impacted areas.
Last year, Musselshell County received $182,000.00 of Coal Board funding for construction costs associated with the Wier Building renovation project.
Musselshell County Commissioner Robert Pancratz said, “Musselshell County is incredibly thankful for the Montana Coal Board's grant support for our Wier Building revitalization project. This partnership enables an important step forward in the revitalization of our community and recovery of our economy. Additionally, this project will create an anchor development for our main street and will help address our workforce housing and retail service space needs.”
The Board was created by the Legislature in 1975 and is administratively attached to Commerce. For more information, visit commerce.mt.gov.Tags: press release
