Montana Coal Board

The seven-member Montana Coal Board was created in 1975, along with Montana’s Coal Severance Tax, through the passage of Senate Bill 87. The board follows Title 90, Chapter 6, Part 2 of the Montana Code Annotated to carry out its responsibilities and is attached to the Montana Department of Commerce for administrative purposes.

As stated in 90-6-201, MCA, the board’s purpose is as follows:

• To assist local governmental units that have been required to expand the provision of public services as a consequence of large-scale development of coal mines and coal-using energy complexes or as a consequence of a major decline in coal mining or in the operation of coal-using energy complexes
• To assist in the construction and reconstruction of designated portions of highways that serve the area affected by the large-scale development
• To support county land planning
• To support public schools throughout the state

The board meets at least once each quarter, typically during the second week of the third month of each quarter. Additional meetings may be called by the presiding officer or majority of the members per 90-6-204, MCA.

The board considers applications and awards coal board impact grants to counties, communities, school districts, tribal governments or other governmental units to assist them in adequately providing governmental services or facilities that are needed as a direct consequence of an increase or decrease in coal development or in the consumption of coal by an coal-using energy complex. The board is also responsible for awarding grants to local governments for the purpose of paying part or all of the credit that the local governmental unit is obligated to give a major new industrial facility that has prepaid property taxes. The Coal Impact Area Report, updated in July 2023, can be found here, along with a list and map.

Commerce is required by statute in 90-6-207, MCA to biennially designate each county, incorporated city and town, school district or other governmental unit impacted by coal development. This designation guides the use of funds and directs the board to award at least 50% of appropriated funds to designated local government units, except as it pertains to 90-6-205(4)(b), MCA. The 2021 Biennial Coal Impacted Local Governmental Units Designation Report has been provided to the board for the purpose of awarding grants from available funds during the biennium.