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68th Legislature 2023 HB 6.1
1 HOUSE BILL NO. 6
2 INTRODUCED BY M. HOPKINS
3 BY REQUEST OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION, OFFICE OF
4 BUDGET AND PROGRAM PLANNING
5
6 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RENEWABLE RESOURCE GRANT AND
7 LOAN PROGRAM; APPROPRIATING MONEY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND
8 CONSERVATION FOR GRANTS UNDER THE RENEWABLE RESOURCE GRANT AND LOAN PROGRAM;
9 PRIORITIZING PROJECT GRANTS AND AMOUNTS; ESTABLISHING CONDITIONS FOR GRANTS;
10 PROVIDING FOR COORDINATION OF FUNDING; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.”
11
12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
13
14 NEW SECTION. Section 1. Appropriations for renewable resource grants. (1) For the biennium
15 beginning July 1, 2023, there is appropriated to the department of natural resources and conservation from the
16 natural resources projects state special revenue account established in 15-38-302 up to:
17 (a) $300,000 for emergency projects grants to be awarded by the department over the biennium;
18 (b) $3,500,000 for planning grants to be awarded by the department over the biennium;
19 (c) $500,000 for irrigation development grants to be awarded by the department over the
20 biennium;
21 (d) $500,000 for watershed grants to be awarded by the department over the biennium;
22 (e) $100,000 for private grants to be awarded by the department over the biennium; and
23 (f) $2,500,000 for nonpoint source pollution reduction grants to be awarded by the department
24 over the biennium.
25 (2) The amount of $6,250,000 is appropriated to the department of natural resources and
26 conservation from the natural resources projects state special revenue account established in 15-38-302 for the
27 biennium beginning July 1, 2023. The funds referred to in this subsection must be awarded by the department
28 to the named entities for the described purposes and in the grant amounts listed in subsection (4), subject to
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68th Legislature 2023 HB 6.1
1 the conditions set forth in [sections 2 and 3] and the contingencies described in the renewable resource grant
2 and loan program January 2023 report to the 68th legislature titled: "Governor’s Executive Budget Fiscal Years
3 2023-2025 Volume 6".
4 (3) Funds must be awarded up to the amounts approved in subsection (4) in the following listed
5 order of priority until available funds are expended. Funds not accepted or used by higher-ranked projects must
6 be provided for projects farther down the priority list that would not otherwise receive funding. If at any time a
7 grant sponsor determines that a project will not begin before June 30, 2025, the sponsor shall notify the
8 department of natural resources and conservation. After all eligible projects are funded, remaining funds may
9 be used for any renewable resource project authorized under this section.
10 (4) The following are the prioritized infrastructure grant projects:
11 RENEWABLE RESOURCE INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROJECTS
12 Applicant/Project Amount
13 Cooke City
14 Cooke City Wastewater Treatment and Collection System $125,000
15 West Yellowstone, Town of
16 West Yellowstone Wastewater Treatment Plant Project $125,000
17 Red Lodge, City of
18 Red Lodge Wastewater System Improvements $125,000
19 Superior, Town of
20 Superior Wastewater System Improvements Project $125,000
21 Choteau, City of
22 Choteau Water System Improvements $125,000
23 Cascade, Town of
24 Cascade Wastewater System Improvements $125,000
25 Sand Coulee, Town of
26 Sand Coulee Wastewater Improvements $125,000
27 Kalispell, City of
28 Kalispell Morning Star Court Water and Wastewater Improvement Project $125,000
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68th Legislature 2023 HB 6.1
1 Saco, Town of
2 Saco Wastewater System Improvements $125,000
3 Drummond, Town of
4 Drummond Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrade $125,000
5 Craig County WSD
6 Craig Wastewater System Improvements $125,000
7 Gallatin Canyon County Water Sewer District
8 Gallatin Canyon County Water Sewer District Gallatin Canyon Sewer Project Phase 1.2
9 $125,000
10 Thompson Falls, City of
11 Thompson Falls Water System Improvements Project $125,000
12 Corvallis County Sewer District
13 Corvallis Wastewater Collection System Improvements $125,000
14 Helena, City of
15 Helena Red Mountain Flume Repairs Project #22-05 $125,000
16 Havre, City of
17 Havre Water System Improvements Project $125,000
18 Bigfork County Water and Sewer District
19 Bigfork County Water and Sewer District West Trunk Sewer Replacement and Collection Basin
20 Rehabilitation Project $125,000
21 Belt, Town of
22 Belt Water System Improvements $125,000
23 Lincoln County
24 Lincoln County Libby Creek Community Water and Wastewater Improvements $125,000
25 Richey, Town of
26 Richey Water Main Replacement Phase 2 $125,000
27 Geraldine, Town of
28 Geraldine Water System Improvements $125,000
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68th Legislature 2023 HB 6.1
1 Victor Water and Sewer District
2 Victor Wastewater Collection and Treatment Improvements Project $125,000
3 Forsyth, City of
4 Forsyth Water System Improvements $125,000
5 Townsend, Town of
6 Townsend Water System Improvements Project $125,000
7 Martinsdale Water and Sewer District
8 Martinsdale Water and Sewer District Water System Improvements $125,000
9 Twin Bridges, Town of
10 Twin Bridges Water System Improvements $125,000
11 Dodson, Town of
12 Dodson Water System Improvements $125,000
13 Sunburst, Town of
14 Sunburst Wastewater Distribution and Treatment Project $125,000
15 Philipsburg, Town of
16 Water Main Replacement Alley between Broadway and Stockton (Duffy-Sansome)$125,000
17 Missoula, City of
18 Missoula Comprehensive Stormwater Plan $125,000
19 Denton, Town of
20 Denton Wastewater System Upgrades Phase 1 $125,000
21 Dutton, Town of
22 Dutton Water System Improvements $125,000
23 Circle, Town of
24 Circle Waterline Replacement Project Phase 4 $125,000
25 Clancy Water and Sewer District
26 Clancy Water and Sewer District Water System Improvements $125,000
27 Basin County Water and/or Sewer District
28 Basin Water System Improvements Project $125,000
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68th Legislature 2023 HB 6.1
1 Wolf Point, City of
2 Wolf Point Wastewater Project Phase 1 $125,000
3 Hideaway Community County Water & Sewer District
4 Hideaway Court Community Sewer Project (HCCWSD) $125,000
5 Chester, Town of
6 Chester Wastewater Improvements Project $125,000
7 Troy, City of
8 Troy Water System Improvements Project $125,000
9 Lockwood Water and Sewer District
10 Lockwood Water and Sewer District Mid Zone Reservoir $125,000
11 Hot Springs, Town of
12 Hot Springs Sewer Lagoon Rehabilitation Project $125,000
13 Hingham, Town of
14 Hingham Wastewater System Improvements Project $125,000
15 Chester, Town of
16 Chester Water System Improvements Project $125,000
17 Shelby, City of
18 Shelby Wastewater Improvements Project $125,000
19 Conrad, City of
20 Conrad Storm Water Project $125,000
21 Absarokee Water and Sewer District
22 Absarokee Water and Sewer District Water System Improvements $125,000
23 North Cut Bank Glacier County Water and Sewer District
24 North Cut Bank Glacier County Wastewater Lift Station Improvements $125,000
25 Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch County Water and Sewer District
26 Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch County WSD Wastewater System Improvements
27 $125,000
28 Judith Gap, Town of
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68th Legislature 2023 HB 6.1
1 Judith Gap Wastewater Water Line and Meter Upgrade Project $125,000
2 Boulder, City of
3 Boulder Drinking Water System Improvements $125,000
4 (5) The amount of $2,500,000 is appropriated to the department of natural resources and
5 conservation from the natural resources projects state special revenue account established in 15-38-302 for the
6 biennium beginning July 1, 2023. The funds referred to in this subsection must be awarded by the department
7 to the named entities for the described purposes and in the grant amounts listed in subsection (7), subject to
8 the conditions set forth in [sections 2 and 3] and the contingencies described in the renewable resource grant
9 and loan program January 2023 report to the 68th legislature titled: "Governor’s Executive Budget Fiscal Years
10 2023-2025 Volume 6".
11 (6) Funds must be awarded up to the amounts approved in subsection (7) in the following listed
12 order of priority until available funds are expended. Funds not accepted or used by higher-ranked projects must
13 be provided for projects farther down the priority list that would not otherwise receive funding. If at any time a
14 grant sponsor determines that a project will not begin before June 30, 2025, the sponsor shall notify the
15 department of natural resources and conservation. After all eligible projects are funded, remaining funds may
16 be used for any renewable resource project authorized under this section.
17 (7) The following are the prioritized irrigation grant projects:
18 RENEWABLE RESOURCE IRRIGATION GRANT PROJECTS
19 Applicant/Project Amount
20 Greenfields Irrigation District
21 Greenfields Irrigation District Pishkun Inlet Hydroelectric Project $125,000
22 Lower Yellowstone Irrigation District #1
23 Lower Yellowstone Irrigation District #1 Thomas Point Pumping Plant Rehabilitation $125,000
24 Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project
25 Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project Critical Structures Rehabilitation Project $125,000
26 Helena Valley Irrigation District
27 Helena Valley Irrigation District Regulating Reservoir Preservation & Bypass Project $125,000
28 Buffalo Rapids Irrigation Project 2
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68th Legislature 2023 HB 6.1
1 Shirley Main Canal Rehabilitation Phase 2 $125,000
2 Pondera County Conservation District
3 Pondera County Conservation District Birch Creek Diversion Automation Project $125,000
4 Madison County
5 Madison County Big Hole River Restoration Design and Permitting $125,000
6 Ruby Valley Conservation District
7 Ruby Valley CD Upper Jefferson Channel Restoration Project $125,000
8 Newlan Creek Water District
9 Newlan Creek Water District Newlan Creek Dam Safety Improvements $125,000
10 Savage Irrigation District
11 Savage Irrigation District Pump Station Rehabilitation $125,000
12 Pondera County Conservation District
13 Pondera County Conservation District PCCRC C-Canal Headworks Automation $125,000
14 East Bench Irrigation District
15 East Bench Irrigation District Carter Creek Lining & Headgate Automation $125,000
16 Buffalo Rapids Irrigation Project 1
17 Eiker Reach Canal Rehabilitation Project $125,000
18 Hill County
19 Hill County Beaver Creek Dam Tailwater Channel Restoration $125,000
20 Granite Conservation District
21 Granite Conservation District - Allendale Ditch Rehabilitation $125,000
22 Blaine County
23 Blaine County NCIA North Chinook Reservoir Dam Outlet Rehabilitation Project $125,000
24 Paradise Valley Irrigation District
25 Paradise Valley Irrigation District Hillside Ditch Pipeline Conversion Phase 2 $125,000
26 Huntley Project Irrigation District
27 Highline Discharge Pipeline Rehabilitation $125,000
28 Tin Cup Water and Sewer District
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68th Legislature 2023 HB 6.1
1 Tin Cup and Mill Ditch Improvements $125,000
2 Billings, City of
3 Rim Tunnel Rehabilitation Project $125,000
4
5 NEW SECTION. Section 2. Coordination of fund sources for grants to political subdivisions
6 and local governments. A project sponsor listed under [section 1(4) or section 1(7)] may not receive funds
7 from both the reclamation and development grants program and the renewable resource grant and loan
8 program for the same project during the same biennium.
9
10 NEW SECTION. Section 3. Condition of grants. Disbursement of funds under [section 1] is subject
11 to the following conditions that must be met by the project sponsor:
12 (1) A scope of work, schedule, and budget for the project must be approved by the department of
13 natural resources and conservation. Any changes in scope of work or budget after legislative approval may not
14 change project goals and objectives. Changes in activities that would reduce the public or natural resource
15 benefits as presented in department of natural resources and conservation reports and applicant testimony to
16 the 68th legislature may result in a