The Bureau of Land Management said Friday it has OK’d a 74-mile natural gas pipeline from Helena to Three Forks that federal officials said will strengthen America’s energy supply and create local jobs.
The BLM said it approved NorthWestern Energy’s proposal to build the pipeline through an accelerated 14-day environmental review process, which is being used in response to the national energy emergency declared by President Donald J. Trump.
They said the project marks “important progress in expanding energy infrastructure on public land.”
However, NorthWestern Energy will still have to get permits and authorizations from various federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, State Historic Preservation Office and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, according to the BLM.
NorthWestern could not offer comment late Friday afternoon on the BLM decision, however, it has said customers are increasing and more natural gas delivery infrastructure is needed to “enhance the capacity and resiliency of our energy system, especially during extreme weather events.”
They state on their website that “(New) gas infrastructure from Helena, south, to the Three Forks area, will enhance service reliability for NorthWestern’s customers and add redundancy by linking the western and eastern portions of NorthWestern Energy’s natural gas system.”
Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and take three years, NorthWestern states.
They said the 16-inch steel pipeline will be installed underground with all surface area returned to its original condition.
NorthWestern said pipeline sections are fabricated in steel mills using a special high carbon steel that is specifically designed for the conditions where the pipeline will be installed.
“After installation, NorthWestern Energy patrols each foot of pipe annually to verify its integrity,” the website states.
The utility said it will work alongside landowners, governing agencies and community stakeholders to meet all environmental expectations when building new energy infrastructure.
NorthWestern said “environmental and cultural assessments, land use designations, hydrology, and special designations are all considered when selecting the pipeline route.”
BLM Acting Director Bill Groffy said in a news release that approving this project reflects BLM’s commitment to strengthening America’s energy independence.
“By responsibly developing energy resources on public lands, we’re helping to secure a reliable, diverse energy future for the nation while supporting jobs and local economies,” he said.
The BLM said Friday it also approved three geothermal energy projects in Nevada: in Fallon, Lander County and Denio.
Phil Drake is the managing editor of the Helena Independent Record. He can be reached at or 406-231-9021.