Committee clears funding for Shelby Intermodal Hub

Measure will help expand shuttle and freight rail at Port of Northern Montana

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Senator Jon Tester and his colleagues on the Senate Appropriations Committee have passed legislation that will help expand the Shelby Intermodal Hub at the Port of Northern Montana, Tester and Senator Max Baucus announced today.

The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act includes funding for the project, which calls for 7,700 more feet of railroad track, two switches and six vehicle crossings—allowing for longer trains at the Port.

“These dollars will go a long way for folks across the region who will now see greater economic opportunity,” Tester said.  “This is a smart investment in Montana’s transportation infrastructure in order to create jobs and grow business for Montana’s ag producers.” 

“This is good news for Shelby and for the surrounding communities,” Baucus said.  “I’m proud of this funding because it’s a win-win for Montana, and exemplifies a very smart use of federal resources in the name of infrastructure improvement and business development.”

Under the current legislation, the City of Shelby would receive $2,000,000 for the expanded rail construction.

The legislation must first pass the full Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives before the funding can be signed into law.

For a full list of funding for Montana under the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, click HERE.

• A federal appropriations bill funds the federal government.  12 appropriations bills will fund the federal government for the next Fiscal Year.
• Less than one half of one percent of these appropriations bills consist of congressionally directed funding (also called “earmarks”).  This funding is not additional spending for the federal government, nor does it increase federal deficit.  Rather, it is a set of directions telling the government where it must use existing funds.
• In the past, appropriations funding had been abused by anonymous requests with little transparency.
• Since 2007, the process was overhauled to guarantee transparency and fair debate in Congress.
• All of Tester’s and Baucus’ appropriations requests are online HERE and HERE.