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Lincoln County asked to sponsor $4M FEMA BRIC undergrounding project for outage-prone feeder
Summary
Link Electric asked commissioners to sponsor a FEMA BRIC application to underground the J‑feeder to reduce outages; the preliminary estimated cost is about $4 million and, if awarded, FEMA typically covers 90% with 10% local match.
Lincoln County commissioners heard a presentation May 20 from Link Electric requesting county sponsorship of a FEMA BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities) mitigation grant to underground an electrical feeder serving areas prone to outages.
Jacob Dong, communications manager for Link Electric, described the project area — the J‑feeder running from White Tail up toward Taylor Pass — and explained repeated outages caused by falling trees and heavy snow. Dong said the utility has worked with FEMA and the Montana Department of Military Affairs (Disaster and Emergency Services) and that, under BRIC, the project would likely follow a 90/10 federal‑local funding split pending DEES review. "The estimated cost… four million," Dong said when asked for a ballpark figure.
Dong asked the county to be the applicant (with Link Electric as a subrecipient), assign a county contact in FEMA GO (the online grant portal) and coordinate with the county emergency manager or DEES to complete the application. Commissioners asked staff to circulate the project documentation to the county engineer and emergency management staff; the county indicated Boyd White (EMA representative) would likely be the internal contact for FEMA GO access.
Why it matters: Undergrounding a high‑outage feeder can materially reduce wildfire risk and restore electrical reliability for dozens or hundreds of customers in mountain communities, but it requires substantial upfront capital and interagency coordination. Dong said prior project materials (from 2021 DOE/Warrant grant work) could be reused and that costs have risen since earlier bids.
What’s next: Presenter will provide updated project documents and letters of support; the county will assign a point of contact for FEMA GO access and coordinate with DEES on the application process.
