House Bill No. [insert bill number] aims to revise the Renewable Resource Grant and Loan Program and the Montana Coal Endowment Program by introducing new requirements for local governments seeking funding. Specifically, local governments must establish and continually fund a capital reserve account for necessary infrastructure improvements, such as water supply and wastewater systems, before they can access funds from these programs. The bill outlines the criteria for establishing this account, including a deadline for its creation and the required contributions based on local revenue. Additionally, the bill defines "local government" and stipulates that funds from the capital reserve account can only be used for projects with an estimated cost of at least $50,000.

The bill also amends existing sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to incorporate a prioritization system for awarding financial assistance. It mandates that the department rank projects based on the ratio of local match to total project cost, among other factors, to determine funding priority. Furthermore, it specifies that applications for grants or loans must be submitted by the project owner, which may include third-party entities. The bill includes provisions for emergency grants and outlines the types of financial assistance available to local governments, ensuring that projects addressing urgent public health or safety issues are prioritized.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 85-1-605, 90-6-703, 90-6-710
HB0579_1(1): 85-1-605, 90-6-703, 90-6-710
HB0579_1(2): 85-1-605, 90-6-703, 90-6-710
HB0579_1(3): 85-1-605, 90-6-703, 90-6-710
HB0579_1: 85-1-605, 90-6-703, 90-6-710