Zinke nominates 15 Western Montana projects for federal funding
$47,108,583 would support transportation, infrastructure, water systems and law enforcement for 10 counties
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News from the office of Congressman Zinke
WASHINGTON — Congressman Ryan Zinke recently announced that he requested federal funding for 15 projects in Western Montana to improve infrastructure, economic development, and law enforcement capabilities. The requests were submitted to the House Appropriations Committee of which he is a member. The projects would benefit communities in the following counties: Beaverhead (2), Flathead, Gallatin, Lake (3), Lincoln (2), Missoula, Mineral (3), Powell, Ravalli (3), and Sanders (3). The projects are posted on Congressman Zinke’s website: https://zinke.house.gov/community-project-funding
“Rural Montana’s infrastructure and public service needs are different than those of Miami or Phoenix, and taking advantage of my position on the Appropriations Committee allows me to make sure our tax dollars are spent on projects that support our taxpayers,” said Congressman Zinke. “We’ve identified and nominated great projects like a wastewater system in Seeley Lake that will help revitalize the town and bring back jobs, and a five-county law enforcement project that will deliver state of the art equipment to our sheriffs and allow them all to coordinate with the same comms and gear should a multi-county situation emerge. I am thankful to the county commissioners, mayors and sheriffs who have been working with my office for months to identify projects that would have the biggest impacts.”
The submissions were made through the U.S. House of Representatives Community Project Funding requests which allows Congress to direct appropriations from specific grant accounts to eligible projects. All projects must meet the published grant requirements and pass a series of legislative hurdles. Every project must be approved by the House Appropriations Committee, of which Zinke is a member, the full House of Representatives and be included in the joint funding package approved by the House and Senate and signed by the President. In Fiscal Year 2024, Zinke successfully secured $35 million in funding for Western Montana.
Proposed local projects include:
Beaverhead, Lake, Lincoln, Mineral, and Sanders County,
$2,123,500 - Law Enforcement Equipment for 5 Rural Counties
To reduce cost to the taxpayer and promote equipment continuity in the event of a multi-county response to an incident, Mineral, Lake, Beaverhead, Lincoln, and Sanders counties have entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to purchase much needed vehicles and equipment in bulk for bolstered law enforcement and public safety. The crisis at the southern border has turned every state into a border state – including Montana. Five rural counties with a combined population of less than 80,000 are experiencing exponential increases in human trafficking, drug trafficking, overdoses, and crime, directly related to the border crisis. These five counties have formed a joint purchasing agreement to purchase desperately needed equipment and vehicles in bulk to save tens- to hundreds of thousands of dollars per county. The funding will purchase patrol vehicles, body scanners, radios and telecom equipment, rifles, vests, and fund safety upgrades.
Beaverhead, Lake, Lincoln, Mineral, and Sanders County, $322,000 - Enhanced Law Enforcement Capability for 5 Rural Counties
This request helps modernize Western Montana law enforcement giving them increased communication capacity and interoperability between counties, in addition to modern inmate transportation. This request would fund the purchase of 24 patrol radios, 6 patrol vehicle radio repeaters, and 2 upfitted transport vehicles.
Lake County, $1,604,500 - CSKT
Invasive Species Inspection Station
Watercraft inspection stations are Montana’s front line of defense to prevent the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS). The Tribes and their partners have been working diligently since 2017 to prevent the mussels from entering the Flathead Basin and the Columbia River Basin. The mussels have devastating impacts on the ecosystems and cost our country millions each year in damage and maintenance. The Tribes and their partners have been working diligently since 2017 to prevent the mussels from entering the Flathead Basin and the Columbia River Basin. The CSKT operates the Ravalli station. It is the only station in Montana to operate 24 hours per day, 7 days a week during boating season. The station does not have permanent infrastructure and it lacks adequate protection from the weather, running water, restrooms, and electricity. The tribe would like to develop a stable and permanent AIS watercraft inspection station in Ravalli to safely inspect watercraft and ensure that Montana’s waterways are free from invasive species.
