Trump Administration

President Donald Trump is vowing once again to revive the coal industry – a promise he made but failed to deliver on in his first term. The message still resonates in Colstrip, Montana, where coal has long brought prosperity, even as its critics point to environmental and health concerns.

A group of young people are suing the Trump Administration for prioritizing the use of fossil fuels - and driving up planet-warming emissions. The suit was filed Thursday morning in Montana’s federal court

The future of Montana’s two Job Corps centers is at risk. That’s due to a proposal from the Trump Administration to eliminate the program in its entirety. The Job Corps provides education and trade apprenticeships to low-income Americans ages 16 to 24. Montana’s centers, in Darby and Anaconda, have a specific focus on forestry, conservation and firefighting work.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order telling federal public land agencies to open more lands for timber harvest. Montana’s timber industry has been steadily declining for decades. The handful of mills that remain say increasing the number of logs could help. But supply is only one of the challenges facing the often volatile industry.

The Trump Administration has made quick work dismantling aspects of the federal government it calls wasteful or inefficient. Caught up in those cuts is the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires the federal government to take environmental impacts into consideration.

On Friday, roughly 100 veterans gathered outside the state Capitol in part to protest any job cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which serves nearly 50,000 Montana veterans.

Montanans voice mounting concern about the impact of federal budget cuts and tariffs. Montana's governor and congressional delegation don't seem to share those concerns. And the Montana Legislature faces a busy, and possibly contentious second act.

Ravalli County celebrates the grand opening of a new VA Clinic in Hamilton. It will serve the valley’s veterans with expanded services in a much bigger facility. According to the Montana VA, veterans make up over 10 percent of Ravalli County’s total population.

The National Park Service has reported record breaking visitation last year. But agency employees are now being told to avoid talking about those numbers, according to a reported internal memo.

Montana’s public universities believe they’re in compliance with recent Trump Administration orders banning diversity practices in higher ed. At least one campus is quickly combing through its departments to make sure that’s the case.