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The Air Force has decided to go with a normal acquisition process to replace the UH-1N Huey helicopters flown at Malmstrom Air Force Base and other intercontinental ballistic missile bases. In a statement, the Air Force said Wednesday that it is “moving forward with a full and open competition for the replacement of the entire UH-1N fleet, which is consistent with the fiscal year 2017 President’s Budget Request.” Based on a request from the U.S. Strategic Command commander, the Air Force proposed an immediate reprogramming action, according to the Air Force, but after a thorough review, the Air Force “remains

Republicans and other pro-coal lawmakers attacked the Army Corps of Engineers yesterday for deciding to kill a proposed export facility in Washington state that proponents hoped would ship the fuel from Western mines to Asian markets. Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) accused the administration of ignoring the needs of his state and its mines. And Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) said he filed a Freedom of Information Act request for a trove of documents related to the Army Corps’ review of the so-called Gateway Pacific Terminal. After months of deliberations, Col. John Buck, commander of the Army Corps’ Seattle District, sided with

Senator Steve Daines today introduced legislation that would move Montana rural water projects forward and ensure the completion of authorized projects across Montana. The Western Water Supply and Planning Enhancement Act is a bill that would help improve the efficiency of existing water supply infrastructure, ease the regulatory burden on new projects and protect water rights that are critical to the prosperity of the western United States. “If I told you that today, over 22,000 Montanan’s lack access to a steady supply of water, you’d be angry,” Daines stated. “That’s why I introduced legislation that will provide a steady supply

A proposed Puget Sound shipping terminal for Montana coal is dead after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers denied it a permit Monday. Citing the fishing rights of the nearby Lummi Nation, Corps Col. John Buck determined that as currently proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal could not be permitted. Valued at $700 million, the port was to be located near Ferndale, Wash. The Lummi Nation had cited treaty rights in January 2015 when it asked the Army Corps to reject the project. “Today was a good day for the Constitution and treaties in general,” said Tim Ballew, of the Lummi Indian

A decision Monday from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could spell the end to a controversial coal export terminal proposed near Ferndale, Washington. Colonel John Buck, commander of the Army Corp’s Seattle District, announced the decision at a meeting with Lummi Tribal leaders, saying the Gateway Pacific project would impact “treaty protected fishing rights” of Washington’s Lummi Nation,. The $700 million dollar Gateway Pacific Terminal was a proposed deep-water port to be located just north of Seattle. The project was backed by shipping company SSA Marine, along with its partners Cloud Peak Energy and Montana’s Crow Indian Tribe, who touted the terminal as a new port providing access to

Montana’s two U.S. Senators have joined a bipartisan coalition pushing to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools program, which aids counties where most of the land is owned by the federal government and therefore does not create any tax revenue. The program, which in 2014 doled out more than $300 million, expired in late 2015 and the last authorized payments were sent to rural counties earlier this spring. The program is especially critical in places like Lincoln County, where the U.S. Forest Service holds a vast majority of the land. On April 29, Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines wrote a