Environment

introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 18, 2025

LC 1321: Remove FWP requirement to regulate wolves as furbearers or game animals

This bill removes the legal requirement for Montana's Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to manage wolves as either game animals or furbearers. It amends state law to allow the department to classify wolves as a species in need of management instead, pending a future determination that they no longer require special protection. The legislation also clarifies that livestock protection measures, including special kill permits for landowners, must be part of an approved wolf management plan. This change affects how the state legally categorizes and regulates wolf populations without changing the authority to manage them.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill removes regulatory requirements for wolf management, potentially weakening environmental protections and reducing conservation oversight for a protected species.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 9, 2025

LC 2548: Require unlimited wolf hunting quota when population is at or above 450 wolves

This bill requires Montana's Fish and Wildlife Commission to implement an unlimited statewide wolf hunting quota when the gray wolf population reaches 450 or more. Under this provision, hunters and trappers could legally harvest an unlimited number of wolves, use bait for hunting, and hunt on private land at night with artificial light or night vision equipment. The legislation also mandates consistent data modeling methods for counting wolf populations and allows landowners to take wolves threatening safety or livestock without a hunting license, subject to annual quotas.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill allows unlimited wolf hunting, use of bait, and night hunting, which weakens wildlife conservation and environmental protections.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 19, 2025

LC 3478: Allow correction of minor maintenance items at mines

This bill allows Montana mine operators to correct minor maintenance issues without facing immediate operational shutdowns. It creates a new "minor maintenance correction letter" process that gives permittees 30 days to fix violations that do not pose imminent safety risks or significant environmental harm. The bill clarifies that these minor issues do not require public hearings or cessation orders, streamlining the enforcement process for low-risk violations while maintaining stricter requirements for serious safety or environmental breaches.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill weakens environmental enforcement by allowing minor violations without immediate shutdowns, reducing regulatory oversight on mining operations.75% confidence

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 25, 2025

LC 3515: Generally revise zoning laws to prohibit the construction of wind generation facilities.

This bill amends Montana zoning laws to prohibit local governments from allowing the construction of wind generation facilities within their jurisdictions. By modifying Section 7-1-111 of the Montana Code Annotated, the legislation removes the ability of cities and counties to approve or permit wind energy projects through their zoning authority. The change directly affects municipal planning departments, developers seeking to build wind farms, and communities that previously could have permitted such facilities. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage, preventing any pending wind project approvals from moving forward under the new restrictions.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyBill explicitly prohibits construction of wind generation facilities, directly restricting renewable energy development in Montana.95% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill prohibits wind generation facilities, which are clean energy sources that reduce emissions and protect the environment by limiting renewable energy development.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Wind

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 17, 2025

LC 3109: Generally revise laws relating to challenges brought under MEPA

This bill amends Montana's environmental protection laws by adding a $240 court filing fee specifically for challenges to agency decisions under the Montana Environmental Protection Act. It also requires agencies to act quickly after a court remands a case and limits future challenges to only new issues that arise after the initial decision. Additionally, the bill shifts the responsibility for record preparation costs to plaintiffs and prohibits courts from awarding fees and costs in these environmental challenge cases. These changes directly affect individuals and organizations that file lawsuits against state agencies regarding environmental decisions.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill adds filing fees, shifts costs to plaintiffs, and limits future challenges, making it harder to enforce environmental protections under MEPA75% confidence

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Dec 27, 2024

LC 3034: Revise fish and wildlife commission techniques for gray wolf management

This bill amends Montana's gray wolf management laws to give the Fish and Wildlife Commission more flexibility in setting hunting and trapping regulations. It allows the commission to apply different techniques across regions, including permitting multiple wolf licenses per person, unlimited harvests per license, and the use of night vision or thermal scopes for hunting. The legislation also enables landowners to take wolves on their property without a license if the animals threaten livestock, dogs, or human safety, provided they report the taking and stay within annual quotas. Additionally, public land permittees with livestock depredation issues can obtain special permits to remove wolves without purchasing standard licenses.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill increases wolf hunting/trapping flexibility and removes conservation restrictions, weakening environmental protections for wildlife populations.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Lands Wildlife

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 20, 2025

LC 2340: Require legislative approval of greenhouse gas rules

This bill requires that any state agency rules or regulations concerning greenhouse gas emissions or the social cost of carbon must be approved by the Montana Legislature before they can take effect. It directly affects state departments, commissions, and boards that have the authority to create rules on these environmental topics. The key mechanism is a delay provision that prevents such rules from becoming effective until the legislature reviews and approves them during the next legislative session. Additionally, the bill includes instructions on how these new requirements should be added to the state's existing legal code.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyBill restricts agency authority to implement greenhouse gas regulations, limiting climate action and clean energy policy implementation.85% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill requires legislative approval for greenhouse gas rules, adding bureaucratic barriers that delay or weaken environmental regulations and emissions controls.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Climate Change

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Dec 3, 2024

LC 512: Revise law related to damage-based muskrat and beaver harvesting

This bill updates Montana's laws to allow year-round trapping or hunting of beaver and muskrat that damage rural or urban structures, in addition to existing protections for irrigation projects and stock water ponds. It requires landowners or employees to obtain a permit from the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to remove these animals during the closed season, except between June 1 and August 31 when no permit is needed. The legislation also clarifies that "urban developed structures" are now included alongside rural structures in the list of protected properties eligible for damage-based removal. Violations of the new rules carry fines up to $1,000, possible jail time, and a 24-month suspension of hunting, fishing, or trapping privileges.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill permits year-round hunting of beaver and muskrat, which are natural ecosystem components, potentially weakening wildlife conservation and habitat protection.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 24, 2025

LC 1496: Approve the siting of uranium conversion and enrichment facilities

This bill authorizes the siting of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities in Montana, allowing the state to approve such facilities if they are located on sites of existing nuclear power plants or use fuel transported from out of state. The legislation requires that any proposed facility first receive a recommendation from the state Department of Environmental Quality and obtain a construction or operating license from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Additionally, the bill updates state environmental laws to require companies applying for federal nuclear facility approvals to notify the state and pay fees to support state review and participation in federal proceedings. These changes aim to establish a clear framework for evaluating and permitting nuclear fuel reprocessing operations within Montana's borders.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill authorizes siting of uranium conversion and enrichment facilities, expanding nuclear energy infrastructure and production capacity in Montana85% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill authorizes uranium conversion and enrichment facilities, which may increase nuclear waste and environmental risks despite requiring DEQ recommendation.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Nuclear

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 24, 2025

LC 2339: Exempt GHG emissions analysis for appliances, vehicles, engines

This bill exempts state and local building departments from conducting greenhouse gas emissions analyses for certain appliances, vehicles, and engines under Montana's environmental review process. The exemption applies to products regulated by federal laws that preempt state authority, such as those governed by the Clean Air Act and Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as well as emissions originating outside Montana's borders. By removing these specific sources from environmental review requirements, the bill clarifies that state agencies do not need to assess greenhouse gas impacts for items where federal law already establishes national standards. The legislation also provides instructions for codifying these exemptions into existing state environmental statutes.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill exempts GHG emissions analysis for appliances, vehicles, and engines, weakening environmental review requirements and reducing oversight of emissions sources.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Air Quality Climate Change Conservation

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