Big Sky Emissions Reduction Roadmap
Montana's Big Sky Emissions Reduction Roadmap (Roadmap) is a comprehensive air pollution reduction plan, currently being developed by Montana DEQ with support from various partners. The Roadmap will identify and support investment in voluntary actions that reduce emissions, create high-quality jobs, spur economic growth, and enhance the quality of life for all Montanans, all while embracing innovation and rejecting government mandates. This effort is funded through the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program, which focuses on reducing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other harmful air pollutants.
The Roadmap will build upon Montana’s Climate Pollution Reduction Priorities, completed in spring 2024, which identified high priority, implementation ready, near-term actions to reduce emissions in Montana through innovation, not regulation. Priority measures include expanding forest management, upgrading infrastructure in Montana's K-12 public schools, and improving electric grid technology.
What’s in the Roadmap?
Plan development will focus on incentive-based actions to reduce pollution and make a difference in our communities, our workforce and economy, and the state as a whole. The Roadmap will include the following:
- Comprehensive inventory of GHG emissions using Montana-specific data rather than national estimates
- Including analysis of significant sources of emissions by economic sector (buildings, transportation, agriculture, working lands, electric power, industry, waste and materials management)
- Analysis of projected future emission levels under a business-as-usual scenario and in a scenario in which additional voluntary actions are implemented
- Identification of current emission reduction efforts and future voluntary actions to improve air quality
- Identification of funding opportunities to support the implementation of emission reduction actions
- Analysis of anticipated workforce shortages, potential solutions, and partners that can help address those challenges
Contacts
Public Policy Director
Rebecca Harbage (406) 444-2813
Community Outreach Specialist
Betsy Adams
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Resources & Information
Do you want to help spread the word about DEQ's planning activities? You are welcome to download, print, share, and post materials provided on this page. We will add resources as planning progresses.
- Roadmap Postcard (.pdf)
DEQ is conducting public engagement and accepting public comments on how to best implement the Roadmap/CPRG grant deliverables throughout the project timeline. Public feedback will help DEQ determine the program's direction, priorities, and future planning activities. The timeline of public engagement opportunities is outlined below.
- Fall/Winter 2024-2025: Watch for invitations to provide feedback on areas and activities that may be included in the Roadmap. Your input is essential to help prioritize efforts. Sign up on this page to receive email updates and stay in the loop!
- February 1-15, 2024: DEQ accepted public comment on the draft list of reduction measures that informed the Montana Climate Pollution Reduction Priorities.
- February 8, 2024: DEQ held a virtual public meeting on climate pollution reduction priorities and proposed reduction measures. View the meeting agenda, presentation slides, or watch the meeting recording (01:46:40).
- October 23, 2023 - January 5, 2024: DEQ accepted public comment on pollution reduction measure suggestions to inform the List of Publicly Submitted Measures.
- October 23, 2023: DEQ held a hybrid public meeting on the process of identifying pollution reduction priorities and the CPRG Implementation Grant. View the meeting agenda, presentation slides, or watch the meeting recording (01:37:47).
Background
The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program provides funding to states through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce emissions.
The CPRG program includes two phases of funding:
- Phase I provided $250 million for noncompetitive planning grants, of which states were eligible for $3 million each. This is the funding DEQ is using to prepare Montana's Big Sky Emissions Reduction Roadmap.
- Phase II provided $4.6 billion in competitive implementation grants. To be eligible to receive Phase II funding, projects must have been included in a climate action plan developed with funding from a Phase I grant. In July 2024, EPA announced that Montana was awarded a $49.7 million implementation grant. More details can be found in the Implementation Funding section below.
Governor Gianforte designated DEQ as the lead agency to receive Montana's planning grant and to facilitate a broad public planning process. The resulting Big Sky Emissions Reduction Roadmap will include strategies to reduce emissions and support thriving Montana communities through innovation, not regulation. To develop the plan, DEQ will engage the expertise of other state agencies, local governments, stakeholders, universities, and the public.
- ✔ Montana Climate Pollution Reduction Priorities - submitted March 2024 This priority plan identified Montana's high-priority, implementation-ready, near-term GHG reduction measures.
- Big Sky Emission Reduction Roadmap - due December 2025 This comprehensive plan will build upon Montana's existing climate strategies and the priorities previously submitted.
- Status Report - due summer 2027
Upcoming:
December 2025: Deadline to submit Montana's Big Sky Emissions Reduction Roadmap.
Past:
October 9, 2024: EPA issues Implementation Grant awards.
July 22, 2024: EPA announced the selection of Montana's Forest, Community and Working Landscapes Climate Resiliency Project as one of 25 awards nationwide. More details can be found in the Implementation Funding section below.
April 1, 2024: Deadline to submit CPRG implementation grant applications to EPA.
March 1, 2024: Deadline to submit Montana Climate Pollution Reduction Priorities to EPA.
August 8, 2023: EPA awarded a $3 million CPRG program planning grant to the state of Montana, to be administered by the DEQ.
For the purposes of Montana's planning efforts under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program, DEQ considers greenhouse gases to include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). These are the main gases the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) focuses on when analyzing greenhouse gas emissions across the country. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the environment, similar to a physical greenhouse. Learn more about these gases in EPA's online overview of greenhouse gases.
Montana's emissions inventory, to be prepared as part of the Big Sky Emissions Reduction Roadmap, will analyze the sources of these emissions by sector and identify voluntary actions that could be taken to reduce emissions.
Implementation Funding
The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program included a national competition for implementation grants to fund selected actions from states’ priority plans. In April of 2024, the state of Montana submitted two applications for funding to carry out several measures identified in the Montana Climate Pollution Reduction Priorities.
On July 22, 2024, Montana's Forest, Community and Working Landscapes Climate Resiliency Project, submitted by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, was one of 25 applications selected nationwide to receive funding for a diverse range of projects. The successful applications included projects in 30 states at the state, local, and tribal levels. Learn more about the successful applications on EPA's website.
Montana's $49.7 million grant will be used to improve the resilience of Montana’s forests, agricultural lands and waterways through innovative, incentive-based projects including: 1) forest management and wildfire mitigation, 2) expansion of healthy urban and community forests, 3) mitigation of coal seam fires, 4) reductions in nonpoint source pollution, 5) fertilizer use innovation for improved soil health, 6) ranchland stewardship, and 7) innovation in the cattle and beef industry.
Montana’s Energy Infrastructure and Efficiency Upgrade Project, submitted by DEQ for a $48.9 million implementation grant, was not selected for funding. The application included four projects: 1) enhancing energy efficiency in Montana’s schools, 2) converting fleet vehicles to cleaner alternatives, 3) improving the state’s grid technology, and 4) funding energy efficiency audits for the State’s Commercial Property-Assessed Capital Enhancements program.