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Glacier County commissioners hear plan to reopen Browning Branch Library; EPA funds to cover abatement
Summary
Library board members and Sweetgrass representatives told county commissioners a Brownfields subgrant from the EPA can pay for asbestos/mold abatement, and outlined a public meeting, bidding and construction timeline that could allow reopening by late 2026. The board agreed to seek contract review before formal county sign-off.
Glacier County commissioners on Tuesday heard a detailed plan to reopen the Browning Branch Library after years of closure, with Sweetgrass and consultants saying a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields subgrant would cover much of the cleanup work.
The library board’s Claire Stone told the commission the update included a timeline and cost estimates that could let the branch reopen "hopefully by the end of this calendar year," pending testing, bids and county review. A presenter who reviewed Staley’s structural evaluation and the analysis of cleanup alternatives said the library board selected Alternative 2 — a near-full abatement and encapsulation approach — as the preferred path forward.
Why it matters: The plan would restore local library services in Browning and requires coordination among the library board, county staff and Sweetgrass to ensure grant compliance and minimize county fiscal exposure. Commissioners emphasized they want to see contract language and the subgrant agreement…
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