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Committee approves Montana Coal Endowment grants package with matching requirement
Summary
House Bill 11 would allocate Montana Coal Endowment interest to infrastructure and regional water-system grants of up to $750,000 with a required one-to-one match; the committee advanced the bill with two small project adjustments and expects potential Senate restoration for a removed Arlee project.
Representative Jay Fitzpatrick presented House Bill 11, the Montana Coal Endowment Program, which funds infrastructure—including water supply, wastewater and certain bridge projects—using interest generated from coal severance tax endowment accounts.
Fitzpatrick said the program provides grants of up to $750,000 and requires a 1-to-1 match from recipients. During committee consideration, two small adjustments were made: a project in Arlee was removed because no one appeared to testify for the application and Petroleum County withdrew a bridge application, after which Missoula County was inserted in the project list.
Fitzpatrick said the program is administered by the Department of Commerce. The committee recorded a recommendation that HB11 "do pass," and the clerk recorded 100 ayes during that roll-call recording.
Clarifying details: maximum grant size is $750,000, and the required recipient match is 1:1. The program focuses on water supply, wastewater treatment and collection and bridges. The sponsor indicated the Arlee funding may be restored after further review in the Senate.
The committee recommended HB11 do pass and the bill will move forward for further House consideration.
