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Additional Montana Counties And Indian Reservations Designated A Drought Disaster

Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation

Governor Steve Bullock issued an Executive Order Wednesday declaring a drought disaster for 28 counties and five Indian Reservations.

Affected counties and Indian Reservations include: Blaine, Big Horn, Carter, Chouteau, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Fergus, Garfield, Golden Valley, Hill, Judith Basin, McCone, Musselshell, Petroleum, Phillips, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sheridan, Treasure, Valley, Yellowstone, Wheatland, and Wibaux Counties and the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, Rocky Boy Indian Reservation, Crow Indian Reservation, and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation

In June, Bullock issued an Executive Order declaring 19 Montana counties and 2 Indian Reservations in a drought emergency. Since that action, sustained high temperatures and winds have caused severe worsening conditions and additional counties to suffer from extreme drought.

As of July 10, 2017 small, nonfarm businesses in 16 Montana counties are eligible to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration after Governor Bullock sent a letter to Secretary Sonny Perdue requesting a Secretarial Drought Disaster Designation. Affected counties and reservations are also eligible for the Livestock Forage Program.