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Subcommittee opens hearings on HB 11 as lawmakers review coal‑trust earnings and $35 million in infrastructure grants
Summary
A House appropriations subcommittee reviewed House Bill 11, which would appropriate Montana Coal Endowment interest to fund water, wastewater and bridge projects statewide, heard a fiscal explanation of coal severance trust mechanics, and set which grant recipients must still demonstrate startup conditions before contracts are executed.
Members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee F opened a hearing on House Bill 11, a funding bill that would use interest earnings from Montana’s coal severance endowment to finance local infrastructure grants.
Rep. John Fitzpatrick, the bill sponsor, told the subcommittee HB 11 would appropriate $20,300,000 for 33 water and wastewater projects, about $3,500,000 for bridge rehabilitation projects, $150,000 for emergency Commerce grants, $1,500,000 for planning grants and $10,000,000 to the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation for regional water system projects. Fitzpatrick said the payments would come from interest on the coal severance endowment and related trust accounts.
The committee heard a technical briefing from Sam Schaeffer, lead revenue analyst at the Legislative Fiscal Division, who explained how coal severance tax collections feed multiple state funds and…
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