BSPRA Chairman Dave Strohmaier and Assistant Secretary for Tribal Government Affairs (USDOT) Arlando Teller
It’s been a busy and productive summer for the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority, which kicked off in June with our annual conference in Missoula, MT. This year’s conference theme, “Revitalizing Communities and Building Sustainable Economies,” was well received by government officials, industry and labor leaders, tribal leaders, and advocates from around the country. We have included all of the recordings, press coverage, and feedback received thus far in this email.
The well-attended welcome reception, sponsored by AIPRO, took place at the Residence Inn Missoula Downtown on Thursday evening following the FRA Working Group Meeting.
Federal Railroad Administrator (FRA) Deputy Administrator Jennifer Mitchell, Assistant Secretary for Tribal Government Affairs (USDOT) Arlando Teller, Rail Passengers Association President & CEO Jim Mathews, Director of PNWER Regional Infrastructure Accelerator, Bruce Agnew, FRA Chief of Project Planning Division, Lyle Leitelt, FRA Community Planner, Office of Railroad Development, Katie List, and many others, enlightened us about hydrogen fuel cell technology, engaging rural and tribal communities, and revitalizing and connecting communities and creating opportunities.
During our luncheon, the Founders Award recognized the three legislators who crafted HB 541 during the 1993 Montana legislative session. This bill, signed into law, authorized the creation of regional rail authorities in Montana. Representative Linda Nelson introduced HB 541, and co-signers Senators Dennis Nathe and Mike Halligan were co-sponsors. Senator Nathe passed away in 1993, and his award was given to his family posthumously.
The Payne Native American Center at the University of Montana was the backdrop for our concluding dinner and reception, which featured moving tribal performances thanks to the CSKT Tribal Council and an unforgettable keynote from Assistant Secretary Teller.
Highlights of BSPRA efforts and initiatives:
A panel from BSPRA and its Board addressed the Montana State Legislature - Transportation Interim Committee Meeting in the State Capital on May 8th. Thanks to Samantha Beyl, Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority Rosebud County Director and MSU Extension; Matt Jones, External Director of Public Affairs, BNSF Railway; Chase Kitchen, Governmental Affairs Manager, Amtrak; Rob Stapley, Administrator, Montana Department of Transportation Rail, Transit, and Planning Division who Chairman Dave Strohmaier.Meeting materials and presentations are here.
“Revitalizing Communities and Building Sustainable Economies”—the theme of BSPRA's conference and the title of its new program for businesses and organizations to contribute to the efforts. More information and the program packet are available here.
An RFP was issued, and responses were received to engage a professional consulting team to assist with the Corridor ID project award. Details are here. The North Coast Hiawatha Route is the ONLY new long-distance route in the nation accepted into the Corridor ID Program, which includes an initial $500K for developing a scope of work for a service development plan for the route. A vendor will be chosen this month. More here.
BSPRA has introduced its Government Partners Program, a platform that equips partner communities with the knowledge and information necessary to maximize the potential benefits of passenger rail for their citizens. This program expands BSPRA's work advocating and developing new routes. It will provide the highest quality and most effective passenger service possible with the most significant positive impact on this region's quality of life, health, and prosperity. Jamestown, ND, and Dickinson, ND, have already joined the program. Learn more.
I attended NACo's annual meeting last week. If you are not familiar, NACo includes representatives from America’s county governments, with oversight and governance by an executive committee and board of directors. It serves nearly 40,000 county elected officials and 3.6 million county employees.
BSPRA update to the Montana State Legislature Transportation Interim Committee on July 10th Presentation
Media & Community Engagement
Press Release - Revitalizing Communities Building Sustainable Economies is the theme of Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority June 7th Conference - The award-winning Missoula Public Library is the backdrop for the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority’(BSPRA) Annual Meeting with the theme “Revitalizing Communities and Building Sustainable Economies” on June 7th. Preceded on June 6th by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Amtrak Long-Distance Service Study Meeting in Missoula, MT, passenger rail advocacy organizations, federal, state, local, and tribal officials, and industry experts will convene to discuss exciting updates about the North Coast Hiawatha route, hydrogen fuel cell technology, and the region's rail renaissance at the conference.Read more.
Big Sky 55+ endorses Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (excerpt from resolution):
WHEREAS the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority has received a $500,000 planning grant from a federal Department of Transportation to propose reintroducing the North Coast Hiawatha to
provide twice daily service through southern Montana population centers;
WHEREAS daily passenger rail service will help revitalize and build sustainable communities across Montana, connect Montanans to family members, health care, cultural centers, education, and retail businesses, and serve the 25% of Americans who are not able to drive personal automobiles;
AND WHEREAS Big Sky 55+ Platform supports infrastructure funding to keep rural communities and state viable and livable; and supports policies to transition away from fossil fuels and passenger rail fits within that framework;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Big Sky 55+ endorses the efforts of the Big Sky
Passenger Rail Authority to increase daily long-distance passenger rail in Montana, including improvements and strengthening of service on the Empire Builder, reintroduction of the North Coast Hiawatha across southern Montana and North-South service from Billings to Denver.
Terry Tribune - Town of Terry officials consider joining Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority as municipal partner "At the request of Mayor Rolane Christofferson, Jason Stuart, vice chairman of the BSPRA, gave a presentation to the Terry Town Council and interested members of the public during a special meeting about how the Town of Terry can get involved with BSPRA...Christofferson has every reason to believe many citizens of Prairie County want to continue supporting the BSPRA after personally asking around the community. “After I found out the commissioners were no longer going to participate, they had withdrawn their support, I have been asking people around the community their thoughts and what they think should happen...everybody I have talked to supports having the passenger rail run through Prairie County.” This resulted from a decision by the Prairie County Commission nearly three months ago to withdraw any local voice from participating in the affairs of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority. The Terry Town Council may support the organization financially to regain that voice."Read more.
Exciting news from Dickinson, North Dakota, with special thanks to Terri Thiel at the Dickinson Convention & Visitors Bureau. On June 18th, the City of Dickinson, ND, agreed unanimously to join Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority as a Government Partner. The discussion starts at 1:00:50 and continues until 1:35:00.
The Jamestown Sun -The Jamestown City Council, in a 4-1 vote, approved an annual membership in the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority to support a long-distance passenger rail route that could go through Jamestown in the future. Council member David Steele said the annual membership will allow for the City of Jamestown to work with Amtrak and BNSF Railway. He noted BNSF fully supports the project.Read more.
Travel and Tour World - Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority Conference: Revitalizing Sustainable Economies "Discover how the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) is spearheading the revival of Montana’s transportation landscape. With a focus on “Revitalizing Communities and Building Sustainable Economies,” the BSPRA’s annual conference on June 7th promises to be a pivotal event in the region’s development journey. Montana’s transportation narrative is undergoing a profound transformation thanks to the visionary efforts of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA). As the state’s largest transportation district, BSPRA is leading the charge to reintroduce safe, reliable, and sustainable passenger rail services across southern Montana."Read more.
Havre Daily News - Amtrak and the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority at a community meeting in Havre. Our Chair, Dave Strohmaier, and Amtrak Government Affairs and Big Sky Passenger Rail Ex Offício Board Member, Chase Kitchen, in Havre, MT, after a Community Event at MSU-Northern. We shared info about improvements planned for the Hi-Line / Amtrak Empire Builder through a $15 million Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.Read more.
We are pleased to share the recordings from our June 7th BSPRA Annual Conference in Missoula. Thanks to all who joined in person and virtually, presented and shared their expertise, and supported our mission via sponsorship. We are grateful. The recordings are here.
"The Federal Railroad Administration Long-Distance Service Study Round 4 Regional Working Group Meeting Presentation is now posted...We plan to share the meeting summaries as soon as possible. We encourage you to review and share this presentation with your communities. The Study website will remain live for the remainder of the year. The working group meetings you have participated in over the last 18 months have played a critical role in our efforts to identify what needs to be done to restore and expand long-distance service. We are grateful for your dedicated participation and significant contributions to the Long-Distance Service Study." Access the presentation here.
Newstalk KGVO - Federal Official “Very Excited” About Montana’s Love of Trains
During the keynote, Jennifer Mitchell, Deputy Administrator for the FRA, was enthusiastic about the route and the resurgent interest in passenger rail across the country. "We're very excited about the potential for the North Coast Hiawatha Line as well," Mitchell said. "We know that it would create jobs, generate $271,000,000 in economic impact a year, and provide affordable, safe, and clean transportation year-round to promote healthcare, tourism, education, and commerce. And to be able to upgrade those lines for both freight and passenger service." Read more.
KRTV Great Falls - Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority Hosts 2024 Conference
“Some notable guests from the Federal Railroad Administration were on hand to deliver some of the results they found from their much anticipated long-term study. The proposed rail line through Montana would be the North Coast Hiawatha, beginning in Chicago and ending in Seattle. The long-term study was a key step in getting many of the proposed routes off the ground and into the conceptual phase. The study assessed the improvements needed along routes over 750 miles and what the rough costs may be.” Read more.
BSPRA Inaugural Founders Award July 7th, 2024 - The Founders Award recognizes the three legislators who crafted HB 541 during the 1993 Montana legislative session. This bill, signed into law, authorized the creation of regional rail authorities in Montana. Representative Linda Nelson introduced HB 541, and co-signers Senators Dennis Nathe and Mike Halligan were co-sponsors. Senator Nathe passed away in 1993, and his award is being given to his family posthumously. In the photo on the left, Chairman Strohmaier thanked Founder's Award Recipient Mike Halligan at the June 7th BSPRA Annual Meeting. Mike served in the Montana State Senate from 1980 to 2002 as the chairman of several legislative standing and interim committees. He was also the minority leader in the 1995 and 1997 legislative sessions. He has been the Executive Director of the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation since November 2002. Watch here 02:19:00 to 12:55:00.
From the Missoulian - The buzz around the new route brought several top railroad officials to the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) for its annual conference in Missoula, including Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). "I am encouraged that we are really at the front of the pack when it comes to project development," said Dave Strohmaier, BSPRA chair and Missoula County commissioner. "There has been project prioritization for 15 (new) preferred routes, and we've been taken out of the prioritization because we are already in the project development pipeline." Read more.
Could we see a "hydrogen-powered Hiawatha" in Montana's rail future? It's one of many ideas discussed in Missoula during the Big Sky Passenger Rail annual conference. Dennis Bragg talked with our Chair and Missoula County Commissioner, Dave Strohmaier, about the importance of this gathering. Listen here.
Connecting Big Sky Country: PNWER RIA Team Visits Montana to Talk Passenger Rail - The PNWER Regional Infrastructure Accelerator team traveled to Big Sky Country to join stakeholders and partners in discussing opportunities for our region’s passenger rail renaissance. The two-day Montana visit included participating in the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority’s Annual Meeting and attending the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Long-Distance Service Study working group session. Informative blog post here.
Become a Government Partner - Why should your community become a Big Sky Rail Government Partner? The short answer is that your community will be on track to secure the maximum benefits from the most exciting and transformational transportation project of this century for the Greater Northwest region of our nation. This program will fund planning and design for the route across eight states, linking hundreds of rural communities, Tribal governments, majestic National Parks and Monuments, seven top 100 metro areas, State Capitols, and more. The best news of all: This passenger rail route will revitalize local communities, create jobs and business opportunities, and serve as a working tool for people to improve their lives—if communities act to fulfill the promise and possibilities this route will create. Learn more.
Become a Business Partner - As a Big Sky Passenger Rail Partner, your brand reputation will be identified and aligned with a transformative movement poised to deliver substantial economic gains throughout this region. You will also tap into a coveted demographic of environmentally conscious, engaged supporters who recognize the importance of sustainable transportation. You will engage directly with dedicated community and tribal leaders at the forefront of shaping a travel and tourism renaissance and enhancing this region's overall quality of life. Your contributions are impactful, tax-deductible, and align fully with responsible donor standards and practices.Learn more.
Daily Montanan - More passenger rail through Montana isn’t just a hope and a dream; it’s a plan chugging its way to reality, according to a report from the Big Sky Rail Authority this week. And Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg is on board. Representatives from the Big Sky Rail Authority updated the Transportation Interim Committee of the Montana Legislature this week shortly after Secretary Buttigieg visited the Treasure State and touted federal investments in infrastructure. Read more.
Here is an update about one of our "original" Directors representing Park County, Montana, and founder of CoolWorks.comfor the many who’ve asked what Bill Berg is doing! Bill, you were on our minds and in our conversations during the Annual meeting. We appreciate your support and generosity. You are missed.
"The founder of CoolWorks & our CW ambassador, Bill Berg, is currently on one of several of his bucket list adventures around the last frontier of Alaska! Check out Bill’s story and the story of CoolWorks at www.coolworks.com/journal/bill/. More about Bill's service to us and his community here.
Northern California graphic artist Michael Schwab created the original ‘Empire Builder’ artwork in 2003 for the Amtrak print ad campaign, which ran from 2004 through 2012. It was one of a series of works of art by the artist portraying the historic American train routes for Amtrak. The ‘Empire Builder’ artwork was created to evoke a timeless and dramatic winter landscape portraying this landmark region of early rail travel through the American West. By special arrangement, we are thrilled to offer these items to you to proudly support all passenger rail in the greater Northwest.
Check out our apparel, home goods, stickers, and accessories. The gift of BSPRA merchandise supports revitalizing communities through passenger rail in Southern Montana and the Greater Northwest.
