Deputy Secretary Beaudreau Highlights Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Investments in Montana

Date: Friday, June 10, 2022
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

HELENA, Mont. — Deputy Secretary of the Interior Tommy Beaudreau visited Wyoming and Montana this week to highlight investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support wildfire resilience, ecosystem restoration and outdoor access across the state.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Deputy Secretary Beaudreau visited Yellowstone National Park to highlight the Department’s efforts to conserve and restore wildlife corridors and habitat connectivity in a way that supports conservation outcomes, honors private landowner rights and encourages collaboration with other federal agencies, state and local governments, Tribes and other stakeholders. He also received a briefing on Great American Outdoors Act projects underway at the park from National Park Service staff and local stakeholders.

On Thursday, Deputy Secretary Beaudreau participated in a roundtable with local leaders in Bozeman, Mont., to discuss outdoor recreation and conservation efforts in the state. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests nearly $10 million in outdoor recreation opportunities in Montana through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) Program.

On Friday, Deputy Secretary Beaudreau joined the Montana Conservation Corps and local leaders, including Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins to spotlight a new $68 million investment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for local ecosystem restoration partnerships across the country. In Montana, the Law will fund projects to detect invasive species, eradicate invasive plants, restore abandoned mine lands, including at the Zortman and Landusky mine sites, and increase recreational access on public lands.

The group also viewed the North Hill Fire Fence Reconstruction project, where 4.5 miles of fencing burned in the North Hill fire were rebuilt by a partnership between the Bureau of Land Management and the Montana Conservation Corps in 2019. Reconstruction of the fence helped maintain the integrity of the grazing systems and keep adjacent private landowners and livestock from entering and grazing in the burned area during the recovery period. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help fund similar projects to support post-fire recovery work, restore habitat connectivity for aquatic species, advance habitat restoration, conserve at-risk and listed species and expand access to the outdoors.

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