Daines Announces $1.5 Million for Montana Water Conservation Projects

Press Release

U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that Montana will receive $1,500,000 from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Bureau of Reclamation for local projects in Bozeman, Huntley and the Missouri River headwaters basin in southwestern Montana to improve water and energy efficiency and drought mitigation.

The Bureau of Reclamation funding will support three Montana projects through U.S. Department of Interior's (DOI) WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants.

"WaterSMART grants have been successful in conserving water and will help Montana's ag community get the resources that they need to stay in business," Daines stated.

More information about grants awarded today can be found here, they include:

2016 Water and Energy Efficiency Projects:

City of Bozeman, Sunset Hills Cemetery and Lindley Park Water Conservation Project: $300,000 for upgrades to Story Ditch.

Huntley Project Irrigation District, Tunnel 2 Lining Project (Billings): $1,000,000 to improve operational efficiency of Tunnel 2.

Drought Contingency Planning Grants:

Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation: $200,000 for building drought resilience in the Missouri River Headwaters.

WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants can be used for projects that conserve and use water more efficiently, increase the use of renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, benefit endangered and threatened species, or prevent any water-related crisis or conflict.

Daines requested Bureau of Reclamation funding for WaterSMART grants in the FY 2017 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act.

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