Montana Snowpack Melts Rapidly During May Resulting in Well Below Normal June 1 Snowpack
Snowpack across Montana is around 50% to 70% of median. That’s a drop from May 1st when snowpack was largely 75% to 110% of median and streamflow matched snowpack and precipitation patterns. A full report of conditions can be found in the monthly Water Supply Outlook Report available on the Montana Snow Survey website.
Billings Clinic opens new surgical intensive care unit, first in Montana
Billings Clinic held a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday for the Helmsley Surgical Intensive Care unit and the Helmsley Regional Operations Center which will support patients and clinicians across Montana and Wyoming enhance communication with rural hospitals coordinate transfers when needed and ensure patients can return home to heal when possible.
New state analysis shows 2.1% biennium budget increase
A Legislative Fiscal Division analysis of Montana’s budget for the 2025 through 2027 biennium shows a 2.1% increase over the previous biennium. The growth rate is less than inflation an often-repeated goal of Governor Greg Gianforte. The Legislative Fiscal Division analysis release this week noted though that not all spending bills have been signed or vetoed by Gianforte meaning the calculations could change depending on spending.
Interior Approves Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification
The Department of the Interior announced the approval of the mining plan modification for the Bull Mountains coal mine today. The action authorizes Signal Peak Energy LLC to recover approximately 22.8 million tons of federal coal and 34.5 million tons of adjacent non-federal coal extending the life of the Bull Mountains Mine by up to nine years.
Pell Grant Changes Threaten American Indian and Alaska Native Student Access and Local Economies
Montana’s Tribal Colleges and Universities are sounding the alarm about proposed changes to the federal Pell Grant program which now faces a $3 billion funding shortfall with even larger gaps projected next year. Instead of increasing investment a recent U. S. House budget bill proposes raising the full-time enrollment threshold from 24 to 30 credits per year and eliminating grants for students enrolled less than half-time.
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39 Montana cities towns counties and water and sewer districts will share more than $23.7 million in grants to help communities construct or upgrade water and wastewater systems and bridges. The funding is through Montana’s Coal Endowment Program.
The Yellowstone Airport in West Yellowstone is celebrating the opening of its newly constructed terminal The 10-year $46 million project completely revamps the air travel portal at the western edge of the world’s first national park. The Federal Aviation Administration paid 96% of the cost for the small tourist gateway to the park town.
A newly formed political committee is beginning a campaign to enshrine nonpartisan judicial elections in the state constitution after recent efforts by the Montana Legislature to attach party labels to judges failed. To put the constitutional initiative to voters in 2026 the committee must collect valid signatures representing 10% of votes cast for governor in the last election stateside as well as 10% in at least 40 legislative districts.
Bozeman officials are hoping for-sale affordable housing can be built on a piece of land acquired long ago for the Fowler Avenue road extension project that it hopes to build out by 2026. The city envisions 84 townhomes units ranging from two to four stories through a community land-trust model. The homes would permanently be at below-market rates.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released its May runoff update for the Upper Missouri River Basin which was 100% of average at 3.4 million acre feet. Fort Peck Reservoir is forecast to rise less than a foot by the end of June even though outflows will be reduced from 10,000 cubic feet per second to 9,000 Sunday.
