John Hooks | Montana Public Radio
Montana tech hub receives $40 million in federal funding
Montana’s tech industry received an infusion of more than $40 million in federal grants this week.
The Headwaters Tech Hub is a partnership between universities, private companies and government agencies in western Montana. It is one of 31 federally designated tech hubs nationwide.
The Federal Economic Development Administration has designated and funded clusters to expand domestic electronics research and manufacturing.
Montana’s tech hub focuses on “photonic sensors,” advanced computer chips that help operate drones and other unmanned vehicles. One of the projects resulting from the new funding will test those technologies at Montana Tech in Butte.
Ellis Juhlin | Montana Public Radio
Montana FWP Forms River Recreation Advisory Council
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has established an advisory council to review how the state manages river recreation. Recreation includes fishing, hunting, swimming and boating by motorized and non-motorized vehicles.
The agency says increased use of waterways has led to problems such as overcrowding and conflicts over use. FWP is looking for up to 12 members of the public to join the group that will propose ways to balance water recreation and natural resources.
The advisory board will meet for three days in October, but the group may hold additional meetings if needed. Virtual public workshops will be held in late August, where citizens will be able to provide feedback on the proposed board.
Austin Amestoy | Montana Public Radio
Conservation nonprofit buys 1,400 acres of land for preservation
A nonprofit conservation group announced it has purchased more than 1,400 acres of land near Fort Harrison in Helena. The purchase helps keep housing from being too close to the military installation.
Prickly Pear Land Trust Executive Director Mary Hollow says the organization’s purchase of Birdseye Ranch, just north of Fort Harrison, will allow it to preserve the land for grazing, wildlife habitat and seasonal recreation access.
“What an incredible gift to the community that will keep on giving,” Hollow said.
Most of the Prickly Pear Land Trust’s conservation work is done through easements. But Hollow says funding from the Montana National Guard opened the door to acquiring those lands.
“It’s probably not the kind of decision we would have made anywhere else, but it’s a unique area and because of its importance to the military, it made sense,” Hollow said.
Since 2005, the U.S. Department of Defense has provided grants to organizations to help them purchase land adjacent to military installations. The “buffer zones” reduce the impact of military activities on residents, such as aircraft overflights and live-fire training exercises.
In turn, the grants help conservationists treat land for noxious weeds and prepare for wildfires.
Hollow says the federal reward, along with money from Lewis and Clark County and the state, helped cover the ranch’s nearly $3 million price tag.
