Knudsen's Energy Proposal

Last week Speaker of the House Austin Knudsen presented House Bill 402 to the House Appropriations Committee. Knudsen is proposing a bill that would give a little more back to the eastern Montana areas directly impacted by the gas and oil industry.

Gov. Steve Bullock proposed his own infrastructure bill this session that would use $45 million from bond sales to help our side of the state with water and sewer systems, and roads and bridges that are in need of repairs or upgrades. House Bill 5 proposes $391 million in cash and bonds to help upgrade infrastructure, but would include several other projects around the state.

The committee still hasn’t made any action on Knudsen’s bill that would focus on bringing funding and criteria for awarding grants based on oil and gas impact. The taxes brought in from gas and oil would be applied to helping infrastructure in areas directly impacted.

Gov. Bullock’s bill focuses on several infrastructure projects that include repairs to the Old Governor’s Mansion, a new state heritage center, mental health and more. Knudsen’s nine-page bill solely focuses on infrastructure impacted by gas and oil, while Bullock’s encompasses everything, including $125,000 for Glasgow’s Water Treatment Plant and the Fort Peck Tribes $125,000 for a rehabilitation project. The conditions of grants and loans would need to be approved by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.