Montana State Legislature
2019-2020 Environmental Quality Council
Upcoming Meeting Dates:
September 9-10, 2020
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About the Committee
The EQC is a state legislative committee created by the 1971 Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). The EQC has 17 members: 6 senators; 6 representatives; 4 public members; and 1 nonvoting member who represents the Governor. The statutory duties of the Council are described in 75-1-324, MCA, of MEPA and in other sections of the Montana Code Annotated.
Resources and Publications
MEPA
Permitting Index
Environmental Indicators
Other Publications
Committee Members
Public members:
SCOTT ASPENLIEDER 2101 OVERLAND AVE BILLINGS, MT 5910 (406) 461-8392 |
JOHN BRENDEN PO BOX 970 SCOBEY, MT 59263-0970 (406) 783-5394 |
REX ROGERS |
MATT VINCENT |
Governor's Representative:
PATRICK HOLMES
PO BOX 200801
HELENA, MT 59620-0801
(406) 444-3111
Committee Staff:
Joe Kolman, Legislative Environmental Analyst
Hope Stockwell, Jason Mohr, Trevor Graff, Research Analysts
Joe Carroll, Attorney
Nadine Spencer, Secretary
June 26-27, 2019: Agenda
- Day 1: Minutes Log - Video/ Audio
- Day 2: Minutes Log - Video/ Audio
September 25-26, 2019: Agenda
- Day 1: Minutes Log - Video/ Audio
- Day 2: Minutes Log - Video/ Audio
January 15-16, 2020: Agenda
- Day 1: Minutes Log - Video/Audio
- Day 2: Minutes Log - Video/Audio
April 27, 2020: Agenda - Minutes Log - Video/Audio
May 27-28, 2020: Agenda
- Day 1: Minutes Log - Video/Audio
- Day 2: Minutes Log - Video/Audio
July 30, 2020: Agenda - Minutes Log - Video/Audio
September 9-10, 2020: Agenda
- Day 1: Minutes Log - Video/Audio
- Day 2: Minutes Log - Video/Audio
Interim Studies
I) SJ 20 Study of Wilderness Study Areas (WSA)
- WSAs located on national forest system lands in MT, Sept 2019
- Congressional Research Service
- Wilderness: Overview, Management, and Statistics, July 2019
- Wilderness: Issues and Legislation, January 2018
- Public Law 95-150
- Public Law 98-140
- January 2020 overview, LSD
- Montana Forest Collaboration Network annual report, 2019
- Summary of current collaborative efforts in Montana
- Collaboration at a Crossroads, Wilderness Society, 2014
- WSA map
- WSA: Resources in Forest Service Areas, March 2020, LSD
- Field Measures of Wilderness Character, 2012, UM
- USFS Region 1 roadless areas in WSAs
- Mineral resource assessment, MBMG, May 2020
- Wilderness characteristics, field observations, Wilderness Institute
- final report, Sept 2020, and public comments received
II) SJ 30 Study of dissemination of wildlife location data
- Tracking Fish & Wildlife: Such a Thing as Too Close?, LSD
- Memo to EQC re: public disclosure of FWP data, LSD
- Public records requests made to FWP, 2019
- Bill draft, May 2020
- draft report, July 2020
III) HJ 38 Study of bonding, decommissioning, and remediation for energy facilities
- HJ 38: Coal-fired power, LSD
- Colstrip: A Timeline, 2013-2019, LSD
- Revenue Impacts Due to the Closure of Colstrip Units 1 and 2, LSD
- Tax Revenue Analysis of Colstrip Units 1 and 2 closure, DOR
- Northwestern Energy press release re: acquisition of 25% share of Colstrip Unit 4
- Wind and solar: decommissioning and bonding required, LSD
- Colstrip update, May 2020, LSD
- draft report, July 2020
IV) Chronic wasting disease
- CWD status report, FY 2020, LSD
- The latest on CWD management from FWP
- Map of 2019 CWD management zones
- Video for hunters on how to collect and submit a lymph node sample
- Latest test results from Libby CWD Management Zone
- Statewide sampling reports
-
Montana's CWD management plan, April 2018
- Revised CWD management plan, April 2020
- testing contract between FWP and Colorado State University
- testing timeline charts, LSD
- Other states
- Current research and understanding of the potential for CWD to infect humans, Dr. Brent Race
- CWD in Farm-raised Deer, The Wisconsin Experience, Dr. Darlene Konkle and Dr. Amy Horn-Delzer
- Urban game management summary and urban game management statutes, LSD
- article on Libby deer management proposal
- CWD regulations in North America, a comparison by Michigan Dept of Natural Resources, Oct 2019
- Tracking the Spread: SJ 9 Keeps Tabs on CWD Fight,July 2018, LSD
- final report, September 2020
Administrative Rule Review
- Rule review overview
- June 2019
- June 2019 addendum
-
September 2019
- EQC objection to subdivision fee rule proposal
- DEQ response to questions posed by EQC re: subdivision fee rule proposal
- January 2020
- March 2020 memo, LSD
- May 2020 memo, LSD
- Proposed DEQ rule on radioactive waste:
- Original proposal, August 2019
- Amended proposal, January 2020
- Additional information from DEQ - April 27, 2020
- EQC objection letter , April 27, 2008 (Objection withdrawn May 27, 2020)
- DEQ response to EQC questions - May 8, 2020
- July 2020
Other topics
Aquatic invasive species
- FY 2020 Funding at a Glance, LSD, January 2020
- 2019 watercraft inspection report, FWP
- PowerPoint from Tom Woolf, May 2020, FWP
- DNRC grant program update, May 2020
- Upper Columbia Conservation Commission 2019 annual report
Bison
Environmental Indicators
- Trends in Montana agriculture, LSD
- Environmental indicators, EQC
- Montana climate assessment, Montana Institute on Ecosystems
Good Neighbor Authority Updates, DNRC
State lab consolidation, MSU-Bozeman
- letter to congressional delegation re: funding, June 2019
- letter to MSU President and Board of Regents Chair re: site commitment, June 2019
- Christian/Cruzado response letter, August 2019
- HB 586 findings re co-located state laboratory space, August 2020
Trapper education
- Rep. White legislative proposal, January 2020
- Documents provided by Montana Trappers Association at January 2020 meeting
- bill draft, July 2020
Water supply updates, DNRC
White-nose bat syndrome, FWP
- Montana surveillance map, 2020
- U.S. occurrence map, 2006-2019
Agency litigation reports
Agency quarterly financial reports - December 2019
Natural resource legislation Summary, 2019
EQC requested legislation for the 2021 session:
DNRC
- Aquatic invasive species, September 2019
- Cabin site sales, June 2019, June 2020
- Compliance and enforcement, January 2020
- Land banking, June 2020
- Road closures and restrictions, September 2020
- Trust lands management, Fiscal Year 2019 review*
DEQ
- Compliance and enforcement, January 2020
- Libby asbestos Superfund oversight committee, June 2019, June 2020
- Orphan Share remedial action, June 2019, June 2020
- Sanitation review procedures, September 2019, July 2020
FWP
- Aquatic invasive species, September 2019
- Mountain sheep, September 2020
- Sage grouse population, September 2019, September 2020
- Wildlife Habitat Improvement Act, September 2020
- Wolf management, September 2019, September 2020
- Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, 2020-2024*
Dept. of Administration
- HB 586 findings re co-located state laboratory space, August 2020
Dept. of Agriculture
- Compliance and enforcement, January 2020
Montana Sage Grouse Oversight Team - Stewardship Act activities and staffing
*indicates an agency report that was not statutorily required to be submitted to the EQC or legislature but was provided