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NorthWestern Energy Crews Responding to Wind-Related Outages Across Montana
Strong winds across Montana on Wednesday caused power outages and interruptions to communications infrastructure. More than 35,000 NorthWestern Energy customers across the state experienced outages as crews and contractors worked together to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.
Case Could Affect Grazing Decisions Across the West
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has assumed jurisdiction over appeals challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s approval of American Prairie’s bison grazing on federal allotments in Phillips County. At the center of the dispute is whether federal grazing law was properly applied to American Prairie’s proposal to graze bison for conservation purposes. Ranchers argue the Taylor Grazing Act was never intended to govern conservation herds.
Montana Supreme Court Says Conservation Group Should Receive Attorney Fees
The Montana Supreme Court ruled that a conservation group that successfully challenged the practice of adding a few homes at a time to subdivisions to avoid state water laws should be awarded attorney fees. The court said Broadwater County District Court Judge Michael McMahon erred by misinterpreting state statutes requiring groups to prove a state agency or other entity possessed something sought by Upper Missouri Waterkeeper and seven individual plaintiffs.
Montana Ranks as 7th Deadliest State for New Year’s Driving, Study Finds
California-based personal injury law firm AutoAccident.com analyzed a decade of traffic fatality data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to determine which states pose the greatest risk to drivers during New Year’s celebrations. The study examined crashes occurring on December 31 and January 1 from 2014 through 2023 and ranked Montana as the seventh deadliest state for New Year’s driving.
Purchasing Power in Montana
According to Visual Capitalist, $100 in Montana has a purchasing power of $109.76, ranking the state 11th nationwide. The Big Sky Business Journal reports that the average home price in Montana is about double that of the top ten states measured for purchasing power. Analysts note Montana’s purchasing power would likely be significantly higher if not for the high cost of housing.
More Headlines:
• The Chippewa Cree Tribe will have a stronger opportunity to elect a county commissioner familiar with Native issues following a legal settlement creating a Native-majority commission district in Chouteau County. None of the county’s three current commissioners are Native American.
• Two new solar-powered, flashing stop signs have been installed at the intersection of Mary Street and Bitterroot Drive in the Billings Heights. Traffic increased sharply after the Billings Bypass opened in early July, leading to more noise complaints and vehicle accidents at the previously uncontrolled intersection. The new signs feature LED lights to improve visibility, especially at night.
• Great Falls counselor Teresa Mouser is working to establish Montana’s first inpatient substance abuse treatment center for adolescents. She is leading the creation of Cub Haven Counseling, a nonprofit facility designed to serve youth ages 13 to 18 and address a major gap in the state’s addiction and mental health services.
• The Lewis and Clark County Board of Commissioners has issued an emergency declaration following Wednesday’s high-wind event, which caused widespread damage. Downed trees, power lines, and traffic signs created hazardous conditions and disrupted essential services throughout the county.
• A flyer recently distributed to Lake County residents contains significant misinformation about the Montana state budget. According to nonpartisan analysts at Montana Legislative Fiscal Services, the actual increase to the budget is $142 million over two years—far smaller than the amount cited in the flyer. The flyer also falsely suggests the state is running massive budget deficits.
