Major Montana Wins Included in the FY26 Interior Appropriations Bill

Washington, D.C. – Today, Western Montana Congressman and former Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced the inclusion of several key Montana priorities in the FY26 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. As a member of the subcommittee, Zinke has been fighting to ensure that Montanans’ voices are heard, and that critical funding and policies reflect the state’s unique needs. The FY26 Interior Appropriations Bill now heads to the House floor for a vote.

“As a former Secretary of Interior, I’ve seen firsthand how mismanagement of our public lands from Washington can hurt our communities and how good policy can make a real difference on the ground,” said Zinke. “This bill gets us back to common sense management. It reverses years of top down bureaucratic regulation that choked our industries, hampered forest management and fire prevention, and shut off access to our lands. The infrastructure investments in this bill will go directly to our communities, funding clean water and allowing for growth. Montanans love our public lands and the outdoor experience; this bill supports multiple use and improves the quality of life for the people who live near and around those lands. It’s a science backed, community led piece of legislation, and I am proud to support it as it heads to the house floor.”

The bill includes multiple Community Project Funding (CPF) requests from Congressman Zinke that will directly improve water infrastructure in rural communities. Community Project Funding is allocated from previously authorized grant accounts, allowing elected Members of Congress to direct grant funding would otherwise be decided by unelected officials in the federal government, without increasing spending. See all of Congressman Zinke’s FY26 CPF’s here.

•  Granite County Clean Water Infrastructure Project – $1.75 million

•  Alberton Clear Water Infrastructure Project – $1 million

•  Lolo Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Phase 1 – $1.75 million

“I would like to thank Congressman Zinke and his team,” said Daniel Reddish, Mayor of Phillipsburg. “This reflects their total commitment to rural Montana. Promises made, promises kept! Bravo!”

In addition to direct funding, Zinke successfully included several important policy provisions in the bill:

•  Delisting 3 Grizzly Bear Populations – Requires the Department of the Interior to delist the recovered grizzly bear populations in the Greater Yellowstone, Northern Continental, and Bitterroot Ecosystems from the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

•  The Cottonwood Fix – Reinstates a permanent fix to prevent litigious groups from abusing the ESA to delay or block forest management projects, a key victory for wildfire prevention and responsible land stewardship.

•  Wolverine ESA Restriction – Prohibits funding to list the wolverine under the ESA, consistent with longstanding scientific and state management concerns.

•  Canadian Lynx ESA Rolled Back – Blocks enforcement of ESA provisions for the Canadian lynx, allowing more flexibility in forest management and land use.

•  Native American Ironworker Training Program – $5 million to reinstate the successful program under the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), helping tribal members access skilled trades and employment opportunities.

•  Forest Roads Access – Submits bill language to lift restrictions on construction and reconstruction of Forest Service roads to support timber harvest and firefighting operations.

•  Good Neighbor Authority Expansion – Encourages the Forest Service to expand use of Good Neighbor Authority agreements with states and tribes to accelerate forest management and wildfire mitigation projects on federal lands.

• Bison on Charles M. Russell (CMR) Refuge – Prohibits the introduction of bison on the CMR National Wildlife Refuge, protecting the land’s traditional multiple-use management and safeguarding ranching interests.

“As someone who went through the Native American Ironworker Training Program , I’ve seen firsthand the impact it can have on individuals and on tribal communities,” said Tom Tanner, a graduate of the program with 32 years of experience in the ironworking trade. “This program is a smart investment in Americas future; backing the skilled workforce our country needs to rebuild roads, bridges, and energy infrastructure. It trains tribal members for careers that offer good pay, union benefits, and a path to long-term stability. This program’s inclusion in the Interior bill shows a real commitment to skilled trades and job creation and I appreciate Congressman Zinke’s work on this issue.”

“As a retired wildlife biologist who lives within Montana’s wolverine biological range, I oppose any funding of efforts to list the wolverine under the Endangered Species Act and am glad this language is included in this year’s Interior Appropriations Bill,” said Montana State Representative Paul Fielder. “If the decision is based on wolverine biology alone, the wolverine should not qualify as either an Endangered or a Threatened species administered under the ESA.  Too often agencies use the ESA to try to carve out sub-sets of a plant or animal species home range into “distinct population segments”, “recovery zones” or some other sub-group.  The ESA refers to the Endangered Species Act, not the Endangered Distinct Population Segment Act and this language reflects that.”

Read the full text of the bill HERE.

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