u/forward_montana

A Yellowstone County judge denied a Broadview citizen’s effort to continue gathering signatures to place a ban on data centers on the November ballot, likely killing the measure. The judge ruled Tuesday that the deadline to collect signatures had already passed. 

When the citizen submitted the ballot measure for approval, she was told the deadline to collect 16,650 signatures was Aug. 12. On Aug. 3, Yellowstone County commissioners announced they believed the deadline to collect signatures had passed on July 13. 

The judge ruled that it was "regrettable" that county officials gave the wrong deadline, but he didn't feel the error was enough to overturn the county's decision. 

The initiative sought to require a two-thirds approval of voters for all data center developments in Yellowstone County. Quantica is seeking to build a large-scale data center on 5,000 acres about three miles south of Broadview. 

More here: https://www.ktvq.com/news/judge-rules-deadline-has-passed-for-signatures-for-yellowstone-county-data-center-measure#google_vignette. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced over $2.9 million for tribes through the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant program. EPA selected the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe in South Dakota and the Fort Belknap Indian Community (FBIC) in Montana to receive grants. 

The $1.5 million awarded to FBIC will be used to establish a solid waste infrastructure initiative to reduce concrete rubble waste and untreated wood waste. The project will use a portable concrete crusher and industrial woodchipper to divert materials from illegal dumping sites and reuse the waste for road maintenance and mulch. This project will reduce landfill stress, improve environmental conditions and expand circular economy opportunities on the reservation. 

These grants reduce the burden on landfill capacity, increase valuable materials for end-markets, establish collection services and composting programs, create new jobs, and improve quality of life.  

More here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-over-29-million-grants-tribal-solid-waste-infrastructure-recycling. 

A petition to require data center developments in Yellowstone County to receive voter approval needed to deliver signatures by July 13. Yellowstone County initiative organizers have been operating under the wrong deadline, Aug. 12, for months.

The petition aimed to put language on the November ballot that would require voter approval of any data center development in the county. The organizers have been trying to gather the 16,650 signatures necessary. 

The petition is in response to Quantica’s proposal of a 5,000-acre data center campus just outside Broadview. The campus would encompass about 7.8 square miles and needs 1,100 megawatts of power. 

Yellowstone County Attorney said the deadline’s shift to July was prompted by Quantica, which made him aware of a relevant state statute on July 30. The statute initially used by the election department applies to ballot certifications, while the latter applies to local initiatives. The new statute was added in 2025. Organizers said the county should continue to operate under the previous deadline, instead of violating people’s constitutional right to petition the government.

More here: https://montanafreepress.org/2026/08/04/signature-gathering-deadline-for-data-center-petition-changed-to-past-tense/.

In recent years, Montana has sold more state trust land than it’s purchased. 

The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation said increasing real estate values and the lengthy process are stopping the agency’s attempts to buy land using Montana’s land-banking program.

The last time the Land Board purchased replacement land was in 2018, when DNRC purchased 10,200 acres of Flathead County property suitable for timber production. Since 2018, the state has sold 225 parcels for cabins and homesites. 

About three-quarters of the land sold in the past two decades has involved isolated acreage that’s inaccessible to the public. 

Four proposals to sell trust land are currently under review. One, involving 520 acres in Cascade County, received preliminary approval from the Land Board.

More here: https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/21/montana-is-selling-more-state-trust-land-than-its-buying/.

On Tuesday, Yellowstone County commissioners tabled a new policy extending restrictions on signature gathering in all county buildings. Citizens said the policy could limit political activity, while commissioners said the policy would ensure safe access to county facilities. 

The updated policy would prohibit signature gathering and campaigning that would cause any interference, harassment, intimidation, or unwanted solicitation. It would apply to all county buildings. 

The policy change comes after a group began gathering signatures to place a measure on the November ballot that gives voters a say on data center development.

This policy would violate our first amendment right to freedom of speech and right to petition the government. It would affect a person’s ability to organize around issues that are important to them, including introducing ballot measures to protect their freedoms. 

Show up to commissioners meetings and voice your opinion on why this policy shouldn’t go into effect. Vote during the midterm elections to fight for the protection of your rights. 

More here: https://www.ktvq.com/news/yellowstone-county-commissioners-table-vote-on-political-activity-in-and-near-county-buildings. 

A dozen Republican states, including Montana, filed an emergency appeal to let Trump’s executive order attacking mail voting go into effect before the midterm elections.

Trump’s order directs the DHS and SSA to compile citizenship lists for states, which then would send their lists of eligible voters who requested mail-in ballots to USPS. It then directs USPS not to deliver ballots from voters not on the lists. 

USPS proposed a rule in June to enact Trump’s order, stating that mail carriers would not deliver mail ballots in states that refused to send voter lists to them.

There have been many challenges to the order since March, but the U.S Court of Appeals for D.C. allowed the Trump administration to continue working on the order, saying the challenges were premature. 

Montana and the other red states want to make it more difficult for people to vote by mail, a safe and accessible way to vote.

More here: https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/gop-states-join-doj-in-asking-supreme-court-to-let-trump-block-some-mail-ballots/

Golden Triangle Resource Council has asked Cascade County commissioners to temporarily halt the development of data centers. The conservation group presented a petition of over 250 signatures asking for a county-level moratorium on the development of data centers until regulations are enacted. 

The petition called on the commission to urge the Montana Public Service Commission to explore consumer protections and ask Gov. Greg Gianforte to do the same through his Energy Task Force. 

TAC Data Centers proposed a data center in Great Falls that would consume up to 600 megawatts of electricity. In the fall, they dropped their proposal, partially because that kind of power wasn’t available. However, the Great Falls Development Alliance has continued to pursue data center development.

More: https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/28/group-asks-cascade-county-to-pause-data-center-development/.  

Last week, U.S. House Republicans passed a defense bill that includes a budget plan of $10 billion that the government will spend on enforcing new voting requirements. The stock trading bill also includes a provision requiring photo ID when casting a ballot in person or by mail.

Speaker Mike Johnson used a tactic to attach a version of the SAVE America Act to all major bills the House considers and sends to the Senate. The Senate will likely not adopt the House bills, and, instead, adopt their own versions.

However, if the defense bill passes in the Senate–which now requires a simple majority rather than the original 60 votes needed–it would require Americans to show documents that proved their citizenship to register to vote and show photo ID at the polls. 

This is yet another attempt by the federal government to make it more difficult for people to make their voice heard by voting. 

More: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/22/us/politics/house-gop-defense-bill-trump-voter-id.html.

AI-enabled Flock Safety cameras may be scanning your license plate when you visit a local retailer. They create a “vehicle fingerprint” by capturing vehicle make, model, color, bumper stickers, and dents. Recently, Flock Cameras were spotted in the Home Depot parking lot. 

People are concerned about Flock Cameras because of a lack of privacy and the use of AI technology. Montana has some of the strongest privacy protections in the country, but private property and cameras don’t have to comply with the law. 

More here: https://www.krtv.com/news/great-falls-news/ai-cameras-are-scanning-your-license-plate-in-great-falls. 

Election Day is 100 days away! This election is important as we face attacks from the government on our voting rights, bodily autonomy, and ever rising cost of living.

You can vote for seats in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Montana Public Service Commission, Montana Senate, Montana House, Montana Supreme Court, and more. Learn about the candidates here: projects.montanafreepress.org/election-guide-2026/.  

Make your voice heard on November 3 by voting for candidates that will protect your rights and represent your values. 

Register to vote or check your voter registration status here: mtvr.org/fmt.

A Little Shell affordable housing development gained approval from the Great Falls City Commission on Tuesday. They would build the project on land that was once home to the Indigenous poor. 

The Great Falls City Commission approved the annexation of 18.4 acres of tribally owned property for the project. The Good Medicine development calls for 115 housing units, including 65 single-family homes and duplexes and two apartment buildings with 50 units.

The development is largely funded through a federal Indian housing program.

The project’s final approval came after months of pushback from residents of the adjacent Valley View neighborhood, concerned about traffic and pedestrian safety. The city’s traffic analysis found that the planned and existing streets could accommodate this increase in traffic. 

This is a monumental step forward for the Little Shell tribe, as they acquire more land that belonged to their ancestors. 

More here: https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/22/little-shell-housing-project-gets-approval-from-great-falls-officials/.