Smart Growth

Making a Visible Difference in Communities: Montana

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Helena, MT

Queen City Crossing

EPA is supporting efforts to revitalize an economically distressed area of Helena, MT including the implementation of livability principles that will benefit residents in the 6th Ward neighborhood. The focus area contains a large number of brownfields sites. 

The neighborhood is in close proximity to downtown, new urban center developments and city parks, yet it remains semi-isolated due to a major traffic corridor through the city without adequate bicycle and pedestrian routes. Partners are collaborating to redesign the intersection to facilitate traffic flow, increase connectivity and create a community-friendly gateway between a vibrant mixed use historic commercial/residential district and the downtown area. 

Discussion of environmental cleanup, economic redevelopment and social programs and projects happening in Helena’s historic Queen City Crossing/6th Ward Neighborhood.Pam Attardo, Historic Preservation Officer from Lewis and Clark County Heritage Tourism Council; Mike Schechtman, Director of the Big Sky Institute for the Advancement of Nonprofits; and Allison Mouch from the Montana Department of Commerce, discuss environmental cleanup, economic redevelopment and social programs and projects happening in Helena’s historic Queen City Crossing/6th Ward Neighborhood.


Poplar, MT

Fort Peck Indian Reservation

An EPA Brownfields grant is helping the community reclaim an old service station for redevelopment.An EPA Brownfields grant is helping the community reclaim an old service station for redevelopment.

EPA is supporting implementation of the proposed For Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribal Sustainable Village in Poplar, MT. This project is being developed as a highly efficient, mixed use neighborhood that will increase tribal business opportunities and serve as a community hub.

EPA is providing Brownfields technical and grant assistance to address a former landfill and airport located within the Village footprint.  Other priorities EPA is assisting with include:

  • creating  healthy home, school, and work environments
  • assessing and removing blighted properties
  • applying green infrastructure principles to manage storm water
  • providing climate change mitigation, training, and adaption planning
  • convening stakeholders for large-scale infrastructure and long-range planning