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County approves updated BRIC subrecipient agreement to pass $1.2 million to Missoula Electric Cooperative for Rock Creek line burial
Summary
Missoula County approved an updated subrecipient agreement to pass through $1.2 million in BRIC-related funds to Missoula Electric Cooperative for burying power lines in Rock Creek; county staff said the award covers 100% of the grant obligation but not the entire project cost.
The Missoula County Board approved an updated subrecipient agreement to pass $1.2 million in grant funds to Missoula Electric Cooperative for a project to bury segments of power lines in the Rock Creek drainage.
Griffin, an emergency management staff member, told the board the county first partnered with Missoula Electric Cooperative in 2021 on a BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities) application to reduce wildfire risk from power-line infrastructure in a steep section of Rock Creek Road. Phase 1 of the project was completed in 2023; the updated subrecipient agreement reflects the full award and includes work already completed and remaining phases. Griffin said the project has required environmental review and specialized construction (including a bore under Rock Creek) and that crews have begun burying lines in the identified segments.
Griffin said BRIC grants typically provide 75% federal funding with a 25% local match; the state’s resiliency fund will provide that 25% in this case so the county will pass through the full award amount. Griffin said the $1.2 million figure represents the total grant award the county will pass through but is not the total cost of all work, which will be higher.
In response to a commissioner’s question about Granite County, Griffin said the three sections to be buried are within Missoula County, though checkerboarded land ownership in the area requires coordination; Missoula Electric Cooperative is in communication with Granite County. A commissioner moved approval of the updated subrecipient agreement; the motion was seconded and the board approved it by voice vote.
Griffin said he did not update the earlier subrecipient agreement after the second phase was awarded and that this updated agreement should be the last county action on the project to enable the county to pass through the grant funds to the cooperative as expenses are incurred.
No objections or amendments to the updated agreement were recorded during the meeting.
