3/31/24

Montana county leaves BSPRA but loves air service subsidies

In a poke at Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) the three Republicans on the Prairie County Commission have voted to withdraw from the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority citing too much competition for federal subsidies with essential air service in nearby Glasgow, Glendive, Havre, Sidney, and Wolf Point, Montana. 

Calling the potential for passenger rail service "a huge asset" in 2020 Broadwater, Butte-Silver Bow, Dawson, Gallatin, Granite, Jefferson, Missoula, Park, Powell, Prairie, Sanders and Wibaux counties became founding BSPRA member counties. 

Sen. Tester is all aboard for restoring the North Coast Hiawatha and finding funding for the next phase of the project through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill while his Small Community Air Service Enhancement Act boosts airport improvements in eastern Montana counties.

Treasure County was the latest to join the BSPRA as nineteen Montana counties, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai, Northern Cheyenne and Apsáalooke Nations bring the former North Coast Hiawatha to life. Lewis and Clark County is home to the state capital and has yet to support the concept citing lack of service while Yellowstone County, the state's most populous, is holding out for more money. Sweetgrass, Deer Lodge, Beaverhead and Madison Counties have yet to join the compact.

The Authority hopes to restore passenger rail across southern Montana from North Dakota to Idaho and include some 47 stops in seven states. 

The FRA and BSPRA will hold a meeting in Missoula on 7 June. 

Prairie County Commissioner Dennis Teske lost to Republican former US Representative Denny Rehberg in the 2012 US Senate primary by a huge margin. Today, Rehberg is one of eight Earth haters running for the eastern Montana US House seat vacated by Trump freak, Matt Rosendale.

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