MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock today announced that 45 critical infrastructure projects totaling $21.5 million are now shovel ready and under contract with the Montana Department of Commerce to receive funding through the Delivering Local Assistance program. 

“From Yaak to Sidney and Cut Bank to Baker, long overdue infrastructure projects across the state are now underway,” Governor Bullock said. “These 45 projects will fix leaking school roofs, replace obsolete boilers, install HVAC systems and repair crumbling public buildings. Thanks to a bipartisan coalition of legislators who agreed with me that making sustainable investments in our communities is key to economic growth, these projects are now full-steam ahead.”

Delivering Local Assistance was part of an historic $400 million infrastructure package proposed by Governor Bullock and passed by the 2019 Legislature. It’s a one-time program administered by the Montana Department of Commerce meant to support schools and local governments impacted by the growth or decline of natural resource development. Twenty-eight awards totaling $11.36 million were made to schools while 17 awards totaling $10.13 million were made to local governments. 

Still, the need for infrastructure funding through Delivering Local Assistance far outpaced the Department’s $21.5 million allocation. An astounding 191 applications requesting $83 million for infrastructure projects were requested in early 2020. Every project application demonstrated a vital need, but because of funding restrictions Delivering Local Assistance funds the most critically needed projects.

See a full list of awards to schools and local governments here: https://comdev.mt.gov/Programs-and-Boards/Delivering-Local-Assistance

 

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