Montana State Prison

BLM continues oil and gas approvals despite federal shutdown; Environmental groups are petitioning the state to stop issuing pollution discharge permits until new standards can be set; The Montana State Prison has the green light to resume water use in all areas of the facility after a water line broke in October.

Water service is now fully restored at the Montana State Prison, but much work remains to bring the facility up to date. A new legislative committee charged with investigating allegations of censorship and civil rights violations on Montana college campuses will meet Monday; The first pre-release center in northwest Montana opened this week; Public comment period on proposed hunting regulations opens.

Corrections Department officials say they’ve made progress on restoring water access to the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge; Montana’s top corrections official has been nominated to a federal law enforcement position.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved changes to how Montana determines water quality. A major water leak at the state prison in Deer Lodge has led to significant disruptions at the facility.

Gov. Greg Gianforte was in Deer Lodge Tuesday to celebrate construction of new housing units at the Montana State Prison.

Gov. Greg Gianforte is asking lawmakers for 500 additional beds at the Deer Lodge prison. With the state prison full, more inmates are being sent to private, out-of-state facilities. Montana PBS’s Sam Wilson dug into the issue and spoke with MTPR’s Elinor Smith.

Gov. Greg Gianforte is proposing a nearly $18 billion budget to keep Montana’s government up and running over the next two years. The state is projected to continue to bring in strong revenues. Gianforte aims to invest in a few big projects, while cutting taxes. MTPR’s Shaylee Ragar joined Corin Cates-Carney to talk through the big ticket items.

A Flathead County board has denied state officials’ request to start a pre-release center for Montana State Prison inmates. The state will now have to look for a new location.

Briefs: Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is set to appear before an oversight board to address 41 charges of professional misconduct; State lawmakers Tuesday finalized recommendations to ease overcrowding in the Montana State Prison; Food-conditioned grizzly killed near Libby.

A sewage backup into a Montana State Prison unit lasted for several days last month.