Montana News & Current Events | Public News Service

Wolverines are powerfully built and have short legs with wide feet for traveling across the snow. They are a vital part of ecosystems in northern climes, according to Defenders of Wildlife. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Threatened wolverine gains protected status

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has added the wolverine to the list of endangered species. Advocates said it will add critical protections for the …

Montana is home to more than 30 million acres of public state and federal lands, nearly one-third of the state. (Adobe Stock)

MT wilderness advocates question motives of 'Conservation Act'

Wildlife advocates are pushing back on a bill in Congress which would remove federal wilderness protections from some Montana land. There are …

Public schools and colleges are working together to build a pipeline of homegrown talent to help address the teacher shortage in Montana's K-12 classrooms. (Working Nation)

Creating a local pipeline for Montana teaching jobs

By Victoria Lim for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News Service Collabora…

Montana used $13.5 million in pandemic relief aid to upgrade its online unemployment benefits application system. (Adobe Stock)

MT upgrades 'archaic' unemployment system

Montana has upgraded its outdated online unemployment insurance system, which should allow the state to process unemployment claims more efficiently…

The Lincoln Prosperity Proposal would add wilderness area while at the same time opening up more recreational opportunities for motorized-vehicle enthusiasts, bikers and hikers. (Lincoln Prosperity Proposal)

Small Montana town carves out prosperity plan amid public lands

Residents of the Montana town of Lincoln are working to create a new economic development plan adding recreational opportunities and wilderness…

The State of Montana works to reduce the threat of climate-induced avalanches on over 4,000 miles of trail across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Climate change to cost MT jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars

A new scientific report from a wildlife conservation group details the potential impacts of climate change on Montana jobs and the environment…

Around 49% of Montana voters lean Republican while 30% are Democrats. The remainder identify as independent, according to the Pew Research Center. (Adobe Stock)

Poll highlights MT 'battleground' voters

A new poll shows Montana's rural voters are concerned with rising transportation and energy costs, higher health-care expenses, and a lack of good-…

Statewide, about 60% of registered voters participated in the last election, but in Montana's four majority-Native American counties, turnout was significantly lower. Advocates for Indigenous Montanans are trying to change that for the upcoming election. (Adobe Stock)

MT advocates party like it's Election Day

Indigenous voting activists are throwing parties around Montana this weekend to encourage citizens to vote, but especially to encourage Native …

While they are common, emotional support animals may be animals other than dogs. (Adobe Stock)

Increased renter restrictions target emotional-support animals

Fair-housing advocates are concerned about changes the Legislature made to tighten restrictions on emotional-support animals for Montana renters…

It's estimated that 37.2% of women and 34.6% of men in Montana have experienced physical, sexual or stalking abuse from an intimate partner. Evidence indicates the numbers are vastly underestimated, according to 'domesticviolence.org.' (Adobe Stock)

MT launches $1 million family mediation program

CORRECTION: The funding source for this program is federal. An earlier version indicated that Montana state tax dollars were funding it, which is not …

Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of domestic resources, such as natural gas, nuclear power, biomass and renewable power such as solar and wind, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. (Adobe Stock)

MT part of $1 billion hydrogen hub

The Biden administration has announced investments in a hydrogen hub to produce energy in the Northwest, including in Montana. Clean-energy …

More than 600 lakes and ponds comprise about 107,000 surface acres in Yellowstone, according to the National Park Service. (Adobe Stock)

Outdoor advocates file suit to stop sewage facility near Yellowstone

The Bozeman-based group Upper Missouri Waterkeeper and its members have filed a complaint in District Court to stop the operation of a new wastewater …

Potential Operational Delineations combine local fire knowledge with advanced spatial analytics to help managers develop a common understanding of risks, management opportunities and desired outcomes to determine fire management objectives, according to the U.S. Forest Service. (Adobe Stock)

Scientists use AI to 'predict' fire behavior

Fire scientists are combining traditional methods with artificial intelligence to fight fires in Montana, and across the Southwest using a new tool …

Wilderness areas comprise roughly 3.5 million acres of Montana's landmass, or almost 4%. (Adobe Stock)

MT seeks public input on environmental policy

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality wants to know what people think the state's next Environmental Policy Act should include. Critics …

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey program, about 29% of Montana households pay more than 30% of their income for rent. (Adobe Stock)<br />

MT housing advocates take aim at cost disparity

New U.S. census data show nearly a third of Montanans spend at least 30% of their income on housing. Advocates for affordable housing said it mostly …

The National Congress of American Indians is working with tribes to help end the opioid epidemic in tribal communities. (Adobe Stock)

$50 million earmarked for Indigenous community development

Native American Bank has been chosen to administer $50 million in grants from the U.S. Treasury Department to bolster low-income Native American …

Montana fair housing laws prohibit discrimination based on someone's protected class status, including age, race, creed, familial status, national origin, religion, color, sex, marital status or disability. (Adobe Stock)

Fair housing advocates concerned over changes to MT tenant law

A key change to Montana's Landlord Tenant Act is causing concern among people who advocate for affordable housing. The Legislature shortened the …

The development and presence of roads can reduce landscape permeability, lead to habitat loss and increase habitat fragmentation. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates say even small development damages sensitive MT ecology

New research by ecology experts in Montana showed even small amounts of development can cause a widespread decline in stream biodiversity. It does …

Montana has more than 30 million acres of state and federal lands, nearly one third of the state. Conservation advocates are holding a photo contest featuring people and their dogs to celebrate being outdoors. (Adobe Stock)

MT advocates promote conservation through photo competition

This is the last weekend to get involved in a photo competition designed to encourage Montanans to explore the wilderness with their pets. There …

There are about 1,900 grizzlies in the Northern Rockies states of WY, ID, MT and WA. <br />There are 30, 000 in Alaska and about 23,000 in Canada. The grizzlies in Alaska are not listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. (Adobe Stock)

Alliance sues over Yellowstone logging project

Three conservation groups have sued to stop a large logging project near Yellowstone National Park they say threatens endangered species in Montana…

Native American voters living on rural reservations often use ballot-collection services because of limited access to home mail services and polling places. Montana, home to 12 tribal nations, enacted a law that makes it illegal to pay organizers who collect completed absentee ballots from voters, according to the Brennan Center. (Adobe Stock)

Indigenous Effort Aims to Get Out the Vote

Today is National Voter Registration Day, and in Montana, Indigenous advocates are working to register people and get out the vote. As part of its …

The U.S. Department of the Interior currently manages 11,000 bison in herds across 4.6 million acres of public lands in a dozen states. (Adobe Stock)

Washington Invests $5 Million in Tribal Land Bison Restoration

The U.S. Interior Department has invested $5 million in reintroducing bison to Native American Tribal lands across the country. Montana's iconic …

EPA Upholds MT Farmers' 'Right to Repair'

The Environmental Protection Agency has upheld Montana farmers' right to repair their own equipment, and says doing so does not violate the Clean Air …

The United States has fewer than 49,000 Black farmers, accounting for 1.4% of the country's 3.4 million producers, according to the latest Census of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Seek Better Land Access for Marginalized Farmers

With the new Farm Bill debate scheduled for later this month, advocates are calling on lawmakers to write new policy into the measure to ensure more …

Some 43.5 million Americans have some form of federal or private student loan debt, which is 13% of the population, according to the Federal Reserve's Consumer Credit report. (Adobe Stock)

MT Sees Sluggish Signup for SAVE Program to Reduce Student Debt

The U.S. Department of Education said more than 4 million Americans have enrolled in the Biden administration's college loan repayment program…

Manure from CAFOs contains more than 150 pathogens that have the potential to contaminate water supplies, while fumes and particulate matter elevate rates of asthma, lung disease and bronchitis<br />among farm workers and people living nearby, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Call for Tougher CAFO Rules in MT

Rural advocates are calling on the state to tighten the rules governing Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations - or CAFOs - in rural Montana…

More than 136 million people in the United States are TikTok users, and more than half are women. (Adobe Stock)

Montana ACLU Files Legal Support Opposing TikTok Ban

The ACLU of Montana is supporting a lawsuit to overturn a ban on the social media platform TikTok. Montana lawmakers passed a bill fining app …

The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act is projected to help grow Montana's $7.1 billion outdoor recreation economy, protect tens of thousands of acres of wilderness, and establish two recreation areas. (Adobe Stock)

Backers: Blackfoot Act Would Add $2.6B to Montana's Recreation Economy

Lawmakers in Washington held their first Senate hearing on the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act. Authored by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., it would …

Sales of legalized marijuana in Montana generated an estimated $2.96 million in tax revenue in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

MT Conservation Advocates Rally Support for Veto Lawsuit

In its just-released 2023 legislative scorecard, the group Montana Conservation Voters is critical of Gov. Greg Gianforte's veto of a popular …

Missoula-based Mountain Line has grown to provide an average of 1.5 million rides per year, up 70% from 2014. The transportation company is making major enhancements to its service with federal infrastructure investments. (Mountain Line)

A Year In, IRA Investments Bolster MT Homes, Businesses

It has been a year since President Joe Biden signed the $770 billion Inflation Reduction Act. In Montana, it has meant new jobs in agriculture…

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks estimates the state's elk population at 175,000 animals, but is aiming for a population closer to 92,000. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife Advocates React to MT Elk Management Plan

After months of public input and work by wildlife officials, Montana is set to release a new Elk Management Plan this fall. Montana's last Elk …

The U.S. Forest Service system in Montana contains about 32,000 miles of roads, according to a report from the Montana Legislature. (Adobe Stock)

Court Orders Forest Service to Reconsider Closed Logging Roads

A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Forest Service to look again at the effectiveness of road closures in Montana's Helena-Lewis and Clark National …

The unpaid care provided by the 115,000 caregivers in Montana is valued at $1.76 billion, according to new state data available in AARP's latest report in the Valuing the Invaluable series. (Adobe Stock)

AARP MT Calls for In-Home Care Reform

More than 48 million Americans count themselves as in-home caregivers, helping loved ones live independently as long as possible. A recent AARP …

A new draft wolf management plan is expected to be released for public comment by the end of August, but skeptics say it is not taking the non-hunting public into account. (Adobe Stock)

Non-Hunters Want Seat at MT's Wolf Count Table

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks department is coming up with a new wolf management plan, but there is disagreement over how the animals are …

A bipartisan group of attorneys general in 31 states, including Montana, and the District of Columbia are partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enhance competition and protect consumers in food and agricultural markets. Montana does not currently have a price-gouging law. (Adobe stock)

MT Joins Food Price Gouging Investigation

Montana is part of a bipartisan effort around the U.S. to strengthen enforcement and prevent antitrust activity within the nation's food system…

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks is considering imposing

Severe Montana Drought Prompts Unprecedented Fishing Restrictions

Drought and soaring temperatures have prompted state wildlife officials to restrict fishing on some of the state's most popular lakes and streams…

As grizzly bear populations continue to expand across Montana, the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks is engaging local communities within likely grizzly range to share information on bear safety as part of its

MT Residents Learn How to Avoid Grizzly Encounters

A recent grizzly bear mauling in the state has drawn attention to interactions between the animals and humans. As the urban wildland interface …

Montana encompasses 145,552 square miles of land. The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department estimates about half, or 74,000 square miles, is suitable mountain lion habitat. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife Advocates Push Back on MT Higher Mountain Lion Kill

Big-game advocates are pushing back against a move by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission to increase the number of mountain lions that can be le…

Flathead Lake's high water quality results from its watershed being mainly national park, wilderness and managed forest lands combined with having a relatively low human population. (Adobe Stock)

Drought Tightens Grip on Montana Waterways

As crippling heat sears Western states, drought is creeping into Montana where Indigenous tribes are seeing historic waterways at record lows…

The 2022 Fair Housing Trends Report notes discrimination based on disability accounts for 53.68% of complaints filed, according to the National Fair Housing Alliance. (Adobe Stock)

Fair Housing: Discrimination Claims Up Amid Housing Crunch

Fair housing advocates said a tight real estate market is driving up discrimination cases in Montana. Pam Bean, executive director of Montana Fair …

About 4% of the present population of Montana is indigenous. The major groups include the Assiniboin, Blackfeet, Chippewa-Cree, Crow, Flathead, Grosventres, Kalispel, Kootenai, Little Shell Band of Chippewa, Northern Cheyenne, Piegan, Salish and Spokane. (Adobe Stock)

Western Native Voice Launches Road Tour to Educate Constituents

Indigenous advocates kick off educational listening sessions in rural Montana this month to educate Native Americans about actions the state legislatu…

The number of pedestrian deaths in Montana fell from 24 to 22 between 2021 and 2022, according to the Governor's Highway Safety Association. (Adobe Stock)

MT Pedestrian Fatalities Down Slightly

While the numbers are down slightly in Montana, more than 7,500 pedestrians were killed in the U.S. last year, a 40-year high. A new report from the …

Rural adults remain less likely than suburban adults to have home broadband and are less likely than urban adults to own a smartphone, tablet computer or traditional computer. (Adobe Stock)

Senators Call on Congress to Invest $50 Billion in Rural America

Senators in Washington, D.C. want to see a $50 billion infusion into America's rural areas - with the Rebuild Rural America Act. The legislation is …

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports there are about 220,200 openings for nursing assistants and orderlies each year over the course of a decade. (Adobe Stock)

MT Partnership Trains Nursing Assistants to Address Critical Shortage

Facing a critical shortage of front line health care workers, the Montana Department of Labor and Industry has partnered with the Blackfeet Indian …

The U.S. Postal Service delivers more mail than any of its counterparts around the world, serving nearly 165 million addresses in the country and covering every state, city and town. (Adobe Stock)

Short Staffed, USPS Still Meets High Demand in Rural MT

The U.S. Postal Service marks National Postal Worker Day this Saturday, recognizing the effort it takes to deliver mail across the country through …

There were 7,547 charter schools throughout the United States in the 2019-2020 school year, compared with 1,993 in the 2000-2001 school year, according to Statista. (Adobe Stock)

Parents, Teachers Sue Over Montana School Privatization

A coalition of parents and public-school teachers has sued to prevent the privatization of schools in Montana. Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed House …

The Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem, one of six designated recovery zones for grizzly bears in the lower 48 states, is located in northwestern Montana and northeastern Idaho. (Adobe Stock)

Judge Halts Logging Road to Benefit Grizzly Restoration

CORRECTION: The name of the logging project has been corrected, as well as the link to the court document. (1:40 p.m. MST, June 28, 2023) A federal …

Prior to passage of House Bill 648, Montana families paid as much as 14% of their monthly income in co-pays, leaving some less than $2,000 a month to cover housing, food and other expenses. The new law caps co-pays at 9% of monthly family income. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

MT Advocates Herald Increased Child Care Funding

Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed a bill into law aimed at reducing child-care costs in Montana. This month, the Annie E. Casey Foundation ranked …

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