Senator Baucus Announces Major Milestone To: "Rewrite the Cycle of Boom and Bust in the Bakken"

Senator Helps Secure Economic Development Grant to Focus on Montana’s Energy-Impacted Communities

Montana’s senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus announced today a critical milestone in his "Call to Action in the Bakken" http://www.baucus.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=845 that will help maximize economic development related to the energy boom in Eastern Montana.

In response to his ongoing efforts to support energy-impacted communities in Montana, Baucus announced a $228,000 grant from the Economic Development Administration to launch an energy development impact study that will guide local efforts to maximize job opportunities for Montanans.

"Good-paying energy jobs for today and for our future rely on folks working together at every level to embrace the opportunities we’re seeing thanks to the boom in the Bakken," said Baucus. "We can rewrite the cycle of boom and bust in the Bakken by planning ahead and getting all hands on deck, which is what this project will help us do."

The $228,000 grant will support coordinated efforts to study the impacts of oil and gas development across 16 eastern Montana counties served by the following economic development groups:

* Great Northern Development Corporation – counties served: Daniels, Garfield, McCone, Roosevelt, Sheridan and Valley

* Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation – counties served: Carter, Dawson, Fallon, Prairie and Wibaux

* Southeastern Montana Development Corporation – counties served: Rosebud, Powder River, Treasure and Custer

* Greater Richland County Economic Development Corporation – Richland County

Tony Preite, who Baucus recently announced as the new multi-agency rural development coordinator http://www.baucus.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=978 for energy-impacted communities says the grants will help strengthen the regional economy.

"With Senator Baucus’ ongoing commitment, we’ve worked hard to impress upon EDA the critical need for both long-term and short-term planning assistance for counties and communities being impacted by development in the Bakken," said Preite. "This funding will put us in a better position to access additional resources to address water & sewer, housing, education, law enforcement, transportation and more."

The grant is a direct result of Baucus’ request to the White House to unleash every appropriate federal resource to support jobs in the Bakken. The project will leverage resources and coordinate all relevant services across these counties to form a more targeted approach to capitalizing on the development of the Bakken oil formation. The study is also designed to create an inventory of current resources and quantify the need for housing, infrastructure improvements, service and retail industry, workforce and public safety. Last week, Baucus issued a challenge to energy companies http://www.baucus.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1151 operating in Montana’s Bakken region pressing them to hire as many Montana-trained workers as possible.

Contact: Kathy Weber 406-329-7980/Jennifer Donohue 202-224-2651