Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality has received federal funding to create a plan for addressing climate pollution.
The plan will develop strategies to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions. DEQ has been awarded $3 million from the federal government to develop a Climate Action Plan.
It will enable Montana to receive additional federal funding for pollution reduction projects. DEQ public policy director Rebecca Harbage says that funding could go to state, tribal and municipal projects.
"So we're not looking as much at resiliency or mitigation of climate impacts, but really trying to look at pollution reduction and emission reduction. So that's what we're going to be focusing on in the plan."
A statewide Climate Solutions Plan was developed in 2020 by then Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, but has not been updated since Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte took office. Several cities, like Whitefish, Bozeman and Missoula have also developed their own climate adaptation plans in recent years.
Harbage says DEQ will review and build on the state’s old climate plan, but will mainly focus on pollutants. They will also have a meeting on October 23rd to take public input.
The plan must be completed by March of 2024.
