Tester and Bullock Announce Funding to Help Conserve Wildlife Populations

Montana’s State Wildlife Action Plan to Receive $850,000 from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services

(Montana) – On Monday, Senator Jon Tester and Governor Steve Bullock announced that Montana will receive more than $850,000 for the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), which focuses on non-game wildlife conservation. Tester and Bullock praised the announcement, saying the funds were not only welcome but necessary to maintaining the state’s world-class outdoors and wildlife populations.

“Our outdoor way of life is a fundamental part of our economy and our heritage,” Tester said. “That’s why we need successful initiatives like SWAP to sustain Montana’s scenic beauty, thriving wildlife population, and major economic engine.”

“We’ve come a long way in protecting our clean air and water and safeguarding our land and wildlife – and the tens of thousands of Montana jobs that rely on them,” said Bullock. “Montana’s outdoor economy generates $5.8 billion every year, so it is critical to do everything we can to maintain our Montana way of life.”

In the past, funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s State Wildlife Grant (SWG) Program have gone toward supporting various environmental initiatives, including monitoring at-risk species and working with interested private landowners on habitat conservation projects.

Tester recently signed a letter urging the Senate Appropriations Committee to provide robust support for the SWG Program next year.‎

The state will also match up to 35 percent of the $850,000 award, bringing SWAP’s total funding for the year to approximately $1.5 million.