News Briefs for Oct. 6, 2021

Commenting period for Fort Peck Lake Extended

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Omaha District public scoping comment period on the Fort Peck Shoreline Management Plan is being extended through Friday, Oct. 15, 2021.

A public meeting was held on the evening of Sept. 16, 2021 and the public was invited to provide scoping comments from August 19 through September 30, 2021 for the Fort Peck Lake Shoreline Management Plan. Due to an influx of comments, USACE elected to extend the public scoping comment period to allow additional opportunity for public input into the development of this plan.

Upon conclusion of this public scoping comment period, these comments will be considered and incorporated into the development of the Shoreline Management Plan. The plan's anticipated completion is Spring 2022 and will be made available to the public.

All comments during this scoping period must be received by Friday, October 15, 2021 in order to allow for consideration in the development of the Shoreline Management Plan and may be provided to USACE via email or U.S. Mail, as indicated below:

Email: [email protected] or by U.S. Mail: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

1616 Capitol Ave. ATTN: Natural Resources Section, Omaha, NE 68102

406 Area Code Required for Local Calls on Oct. 24

Beginning Oct. 24, all local calls in Montana must be dialed with the 406 area code to connect.

Montana's 406 area code currently allows seven-digit dialing to complete local calls. That will change this month due to a Federal Communications Commission order designating 988 as the new, nationwide, 3-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Some seven-digit phone numbers in Montana's 406 area code begin with 988. To prevent misdialing the 988 Lifeline, all local calls in Montana must be dialed with the area code beginning Oct. 24.

The 10-digit dialing requirement applies to all area codes that use 988 as a working prefix, including 83 area codes across 37 states. Calls that are currently considered local for billing purposes will continue to be billed as local calls.

Existing seven-digit phone numbers will not change, but will require the 406 area code to connect. Three-digit dialing services, like the 911 emergency number, will continue to work as a three-digit number with no need to dial an area code.

All services using automated dialing will need to be updated. Fire alarm systems, security systems, life-saving systems, medical monitoring devices, call forward settings will need also to be updated.