Montana rail spur receives EDA funds

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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Lincoln County Port Authority

The Lincoln County Port Authority in Libby, Mont., received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for a planned rail spur.

U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) confirmed the funding and said it would be used to build a rail spur between BNSF and Kootenai Business Park.

Sen. Daines authored a letter of support for this project in April writing, “Completion of the new rail spur will reassure current businesses in the Kootenai Business Park that economic rail transportation will be available to them, and is considered vital to attract new businesses with good-paying jobs.”

This EDA investment will support the creation of additional wood product manufacturing jobs in the distressed region of Lincoln County and will help the Lincoln Port Authority to redevelop its defunct rail spur, which serves the business park. Completion of the $1.66 million project will allow a local company to expand and attract additional manufacturing companies to the area.

“Through these additional funds Lincoln County will be able to create and save good-paying Montana jobs,” Sen. Daines stated. “The Kootenai Rail Development Project will invigorate the region and be a boon for local business.”

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