Butte Receives $20M EPA Grant for Community Center

BUTTE — Butte-Silver Bow County is rejoicing a $20 million EPA grant to construct a new resilience hub, focusing not just on citizens’ health and well-being but also on arts and culture.

\”Our community personifies resilience. Our unique ability to adapt to changing conditions, shaped by our industrial past, fuels our revitalization,\” Julia Crain, the Butte-Silver Bow planning director, stated.

Crain has coordinated with local business leaders and citizens over five years to shape a plan for the resiliency hub, which matches the community’s vision and necessities.

\”These needs have emerged from several plans over the years, all pointing to this vision,\” says Karen Byrnes, Community Development Director.

Recently, Butte featured as the sole recipient in Montana for the EPA’s Community Change Grants, facilitated by the Inflation Reduction Act.

According to the EPA’s website, the new building will incorporate solar power, satellite communication, an air filtration system, and other advanced amenities.

\”Securing these funds is a significant achievement for Butte, and we eagerly await the realization of this project,\” says Danielle Arigoni, director of Environmental Justice Community Health and Environmental Review Division.

She views the $20 million grant as a victory for both Butte’s leadership and citizens.

\”The Butte Community Resilience Hub represents our forward-thinking approach to future challenges and our commitment to an environmentally just and quality life for future generations,\” Crain added.

The next phase involves sending out a request for proposals, with the facility construction expected to be finalized in three years.