Montana’s winter snowpack is growing after running about half of what is normal for early December. High-elevation snowpack across most of western Montana has nearly doubled since last month. Despite the recent improvements though snowpack remains slightly below normal across most of Montana. Montana’s mountain snowpack generally peaks in April or early May. As of January 7th Montana’s snowpack ranged from about 65 percent of median in the Powder River basin to about 105 percent in the Flathead.
Some of the 27 pieces of legislation intended to overhaul the state’s judicial branch were heard Tuesday in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Montana Republican legislators are frustrated by several unfavorable court rulings in recent years striking down laws they championed. The bills were met with concerns by witnesses who said that the proposals violated the Montana and U.S. constitutions.
Stillwater Critical Minerals Corporation plans to strengthen U.S. critical mineral supply chains with its Montana-based flagship project. It has applied to the U.S. government for grant funding to accelerate the advancement of Stillwater West building on past production of nickel copper and chromium and the on-going production of platinum group nickel and other metals by neighboring Sibanye-Stillwater. It hopes to become a cornerstone of U.S. critical mineral supply as the country moves to reduce its dependence on imports.
The Montana House of Representatives voted along Republican majority party lines Tuesday. It adopted the chamber’s governing rules which include new language allowing the speaker to expel or censure a member through a simple majority vote of the body following a breach of decorum. It was authored by House Majority Leader Great Falls Republican Steve Fitzpatrick.
The mission of The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Task Force is to identify barriers to jurisdiction on tribal land and increase reporting and investigations into cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. It was created in 2019 and the 2023 Legislature extended its authorization for ten years. Democratic Representative Tyson Running Wolf of Browning is sponsoring House Bill 83 which would allow the task force to create an account so it can raise funds.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $100 million Tuesday across 15 states to cut red tape build more homes and lower the costs of renting and buying a home. The Montana Department of Commerce received a total of $7,000,000 in funding.
The City of Billings has announced an update on the ongoing audit of the Billings Public Works utility billing system. It is being conducted by the firm SL-serco and is expected to be completed by the end of January. The findings will then be shared at a City Council Work Session Monday February 3rd.
Environmental Protection Agency toxicologist Charlie Partridge is set to talk Thursday evening in Butte about the EPA’s proposal to lower residential lead action levels and expand cleanup boundaries. His presentation will be one portion of a meeting of the Citizens Technical Environmental Committee open to the public.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public comment on a proposal that would expand hunting opportunities in Petroleum Musselshell Golden Valley Yellowstone Stillwater and Carbon counties. It has released a draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and associated Environmental Assessment for the Charles M. Russell Wetland Management District.
Legislators discussed a tax proposal to benefit for volunteer first responders Tuesday with bipartisan support. House Bill 129 would create a $3,000 income exemption for qualified volunteer firefighters and emergency care providers. There are over 2,700 volunteer firefighters in Montana and over 1,600 emergency-care providers who would potentially qualify.