Congressman Ryan Zinke traveled to Bozeman and Seeley Lake to mark the delivery of more than $11.1 million in federal funding for water infrastructure and law enforcement projects in Gallatin, Beaverhead and Missoula counties.
The funding is part of more than $35 million Zinke secured for Montana in the fiscal year 2026 appropriations process. The money will go toward a new wastewater treatment plant in Seeley Lake, rapid DNA technology for the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, and new patrol vehicles for law enforcement agencies in Belgrade and Beaverhead County.
The day began in Bozeman, where Zinke delivered $907,000 to the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office for rapid DNA equipment and patrol vehicles for the Belgrade Police Department. He also presented $200,000 to the Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Department for new patrol vehicles.
Later in Seeley Lake, Zinke delivered $10 million for construction of a new wastewater treatment plant, a project local leaders say is critical to supporting future growth and addressing infrastructure limits that have constrained housing and economic development in the community.
The Seeley Lake project represents the largest share of the funding package and is expected to help expand sewer capacity in an area where local officials have tied infrastructure shortcomings to broader economic challenges.
The law enforcement funding is aimed at helping fast-growing communities keep pace with public safety demands by upgrading equipment and expanding investigative capabilities. Rapid DNA technology is intended to speed up the process of identifying suspects in felony investigations by dramatically reducing the time needed to match DNA evidence.
The funding package reflects a mix of infrastructure and public safety priorities as western Montana communities continue to grapple with growth, housing pressures and the need for expanded local services.
Zinke’s office said the projects are part of a broader effort to direct federal dollars toward practical local needs, with the overall fiscal year 2026 package supporting communities across Montana through targeted appropriations requests.