House Bill No. 6 establishes the Renewable Resource Grant and Loan Program, allocating approximately $10.5 million to the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation for various grant categories, including emergency projects, planning grants, irrigation development, private grants, and nonpoint source pollution reduction for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025. The bill prioritizes grant projects based on a ranked list until funds are exhausted and allows for the reallocation of unutilized funds to lower-ranked projects.

Additionally, the bill amends Section 85-1-612 of the Montana Code Annotated to introduce new criteria for evaluating and prioritizing grants, particularly emphasizing the importance of local matching funds. It sets conditions for grant recipients, such as requiring an approved project management plan and compliance with auditing standards, and prohibits recipients from receiving funding from both the reclamation and development grants program and the renewable resource grant and loan program for the same project within the same biennium. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
HB0006_3(1): 85-1-612
HB0006_3(2): 85-1-612
HB0006_3(3): 85-1-612
HB0006_3(4): 85-1-612
HB0006_3(5): 85-1-612
HB0006_3(6): 85-1-612
HB0006_3(7): 85-1-612
HB0006_3: 85-1-612
HB0006_X(1): 85-1-612
HB0006_X(10): 85-1-612
HB0006_X(11): 85-1-612
HB0006_X(12): 85-1-612
HB0006_X(13): 85-1-612
HB0006_X(2): 85-1-612
HB0006_X(3): 85-1-612
HB0006_X(4): 85-1-612
HB0006_X(5): 85-1-612
HB0006_X(6): 85-1-612
HB0006_X(7): 85-1-612
HB0006_X(8): 85-1-612
HB0006_X(9): 85-1-612
HB0006_X: 85-1-612