Montana’s gas prices face uncertainty after Trump’s tariffs
Billings– Questions are being raised about the impact on state gas prices following President Donald Trump’s recent decision to delay tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Montana relies heavily on crude oil imports from Canada which is vital for the state’s four oil refineries. Three of these refineries are located just outside the Billings metro area and one is in Great Falls. (More)
Montana lawmakers debate regulating kratom amid safety and addiction concerns.
Helena–Montana lawmakers are wrestling on whether to regulate kratom, a plant-based substance sold at gas stations and vape shops. Montana Free Press reports kratom is used for pain relief and opioid withdrawal but can be addictive and have dangerous side effects. The DEA calls it a “drug of concern,” but it’s not federally regulated, so it’s up to states to decide how to handle it. (More)
Daines Urges Colleagues to Keep Montana’s Bull Mountains Mine Open.
U.S. Senate–Senator Steve Daines today urged the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to pass bill S.362, to keep Montana’s Bull Mountains Mine open. The mine near Roundup supports 250 jobs and generates $90 million in taxes and revenues. Daines says the bill provides a short-term fix to protect jobs and Montana’s energy economy.
Montana State officials say losing federal grants could have big implications
Bozeman– Following President Donald Trump’s executive orders to cut government spending Montana State University is concerned about the future of research funding. In 2024 MSU reported a record $257.9 million in research funding the sixth straight year of record funding.
Retaliatory tariffs imposed by China on U.S. farm products now in effect
World– Chinese retaliatory tariffs on several American farm goods are now in effect following tariffs imposed on Chinese goods by President Donald Trump. The Chinese tariffs include 15% for wheat corn and chicken and 10% on beef pork soybeans and fruit. Montana’s biggest exports to China are wheat corn and soybeans along with oilseeds.
Montana Legislature: Where things stand at the session’s halfway mark and what comes next
Helena– The Montana Legislature is off for most of this week for lawmakers to rejuvenate and allow staff to catch up on work and prepare for the final 42 days of the 2025 session. The transmittal break follows a flurry of a few days in which lawmakers debated and then passed or killed hundreds of bills to meet a deadline that requires a proposal without money attached to pass its first chamber. This year’s recess allows most of them to take a breather after what has been a first half filled with more bills than have been run historically.
Trump administration halts $1 billion program that keeps aging affordable housing livable
According to a document obtained by the Associated Press the $1 billion Green and Resilient Retrofit Program intended for energy-efficiency improvements passed by Congress in 2022 is being halted by DOGE. It includes funding for eligible projects and programs to help preserve affordable housing that keep units livable for low-income Montanans.
Conservationists ask federal judge to stop logging project in Montana grizzly and lynx habitat
Gallatin County– Two Conservation groups argued before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen DeSoto against the South Plateau Landscape Area Treatment Project Tuesday. They claimed the construction of 50 miles of new roads within the Custer-Gallatin National Forest to be able to log over 16,000 acres outside Yellowstone National Park will threaten lynx and grizzly bear habitat saying it was approved without necessary details to prove otherwise.
Other Headline News:
Missoula– Missoula County Commissioners have expressed their concern to Montana’s congressional delegation over the loss of conservation project funding citing millions in frozen dollars that were headed to various rural parts of the county. As of Tuesday more than 80% of the $4.5 million halted under the Trump Administration for nonprofit Blackfoot Challenge remained frozen.
Bozeman– The 49th annual American Indian Council Powwow at Montana State University will be held March 28th and 29th at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse. The powwow which will be free and open to the public is one of the largest in the state. The host drum group will be the Southern Cree from Rocky Boy.
National– The personal-finance site Wallethub reports four southern states rank in the top five nationally for their dependence on federal dollars. A very northern state Alaska is the most “federally dependent” in the union. Montana ranks 16th in its dependence on federal dollars.
State– Up to $1 million in grant funding has been allocated to support community-led, non-lethal carnivore conflict prevention tools in Montana’s bear country. Communities and organizations interested in applying can find more details and project guidelines at heart-of-rockies dot org. The application deadline for the first round of funding is March 24th.
