BLM Fast-Tracks Review of 74-Mile Montana Gas Pipeline Project

The Bureau of Land Management is conducting an accelerated review of a proposed 74-mile natural gas pipeline between Helena and Three Forks, Montana, aimed at expanding regional gas capacity.

(P&GJ) — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has launched an environmental review of a proposed 74-mile natural gas pipeline that would run from Helena to Three Forks, Montana.

The project is being reviewed under an accelerated 14-day process in response to the national energy emergency declared by President Donald J. Trump.

If approved, the pipeline would be developed by NorthWestern Energy to expand natural gas capacity in western Montana and strengthen regional energy infrastructure. The proposed 16-inch buried pipeline would be built in phases from spring 2026 through fall 2029.

The route would cross approximately seven miles of BLM-managed public lands and follow an existing utility corridor to limit new ground disturbance and reduce ecological impacts.

BLM officials say the agency plays a key role in managing access to critical minerals and traditional energy resources on federal lands, supporting both national energy security and industrial operations.

Additional details can be found on the BLM National NEPA Register.