2-15-1523. Ground water assessment steering committee. (1) There is a ground water assessment steering committee consisting of an employee of each of the following state agencies that have responsibility for ground water protection, management, or information. The member must be appointed by the head of the respective state agency:

(a) the department of natural resources and conservation;

(b) the department of environmental quality;

(c) the department of agriculture; and

(d) the Montana state library, natural resource information system.

(2) The ground water assessment steering committee may include representatives of the following agencies and units of government with expertise or management responsibility related to ground water and representatives of the organizations and groups specified in subsection (2)(h), who shall serve as ex officio members:

(a) the legislative services division;

(b) the board of oil and gas conservation;

(c) the Montana bureau of mines and geology;

(d) a unit of the university system, other than the Montana bureau of mines and geology, appointed by the board of regents of higher education for the Montana university system;

(e) a county government, appointed by an organization of Montana counties;

(f) a city, town, or city-county government, appointed by an organization of Montana cities and towns;

(g) each principal federal agency that has responsibility for ground water protection, management, or research, appointed by the Montana head of the respective federal agency; and

(h) one representative of each of the following, appointed by the governor:

(i) agricultural water users;

(ii) industrial water users;

(iii) a conservation or ecological protection organization; and

(iv) the development community.

(3) The ground water assessment steering committee shall elect a presiding officer from its voting members.

(4) The Montana bureau of mines and geology shall provide staff support to the committee.