BOZEMAN – The Bozeman City Commission has approved a $300,000 loan fund to help downtown businesses begin cleaning up after the March 5 natural gas explosion.
The blast, caused by a leak in a natural gas supply line, killed a woman and destroyed four buildings.
Business owners asked for the loan fund so they could begin cleanup before they receive insurance payments. The insurance money would repay the loan.
The loan fund includes $200,000 in Housing and Economic Loan Fund money, $50,000 from the city’s general fund reserves and $50,000 from NorthWestern Energy.
City Manager Chris Kukulski has said cleaning up the blast site is important to the economic recovery of Bozeman’s downtown area.