Environment

died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 473: Prohibit weather modification.

SB 473 prohibits most weather modification activities in Montana, specifically banning large-scale "geoengineering" projects like spraying particles into the atmosphere to alter climate (e.g., stratospheric aerosol injection or marine cloud brightening). It exempts established cloud seeding practices used for agriculture and snowmaking under existing law (85-3-101 through 85-3-424). The bill directly affects researchers, companies, or entities conducting weather-altering experiments within Montana’s borders. Key provisions ban intentionally releasing chemicals or devices for weather control, temperature modification, or sunlight intensity changes, except for permitted cloud seeding. The law takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBans large-scale geoengineering (e.g., stratospheric aerosol injection) that could alter climate, protecting environment from untested interventions while exempting existing agricultural practices.95% confidence

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 460: Generally revise gravel pit laws

SB 460 would have required Montana's Department of Environmental Quality to ensure protection of surface and groundwater from open-cut mining operations. The bill amended state law to specifically mandate the department adopt rules for permits, records, and inspections, and to enforce water quality and quantity standards during mining activities. This would directly affect open-cut mining operations statewide by imposing new regulatory requirements on their water protection measures. The bill did not advance beyond committee and died in the 2025 legislative session.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates DEQ to enforce water quality standards for mining, requiring new rules to protect groundwater/surface water from open-cut mining operations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Water Quality

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signed · Montana · Senate Feb 27, 2025

SB 61: Revise laws related to considerations for measuring of streamflow

SB 61 updates Montana's water policy to require accurate, real-time streamflow measurement for determining water availability. It affects water rights holders and state water managers by ensuring new water uses can only be approved when legally and physically available, protecting existing rights. The bill integrates these measurement standards into Montana's existing water law framework under Title 85. This policy change aims to improve the accuracy of water distribution decisions.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill ensures sustainable water distribution via accurate streamflow measurement, conserving water as a natural resource and preventing overuse that could harm ecosystems, aligning with environmental protection goals.80% confidence

signed · Montana · Senate Apr 4, 2025

SB 55: Provide for legislative intent regarding streamflow information

SB 55 is a procedural bill that states Montana's legislative intent to support coordinated collection and sharing of streamflow data. It recognizes that timely streamflow information - gathered by state, federal, tribal, and local entities - is essential for managing water under existing laws, including the Montana Water Use Act and drought planning. The bill does not create new programs or funding but affirms the legislature's position that better data coordination benefits water managers, municipalities, and agricultural users in addressing seasonal and climate-related water supply challenges.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill affirms legislative intent to support coordinated streamflow data for water management, a natural resource conservation effort under existing environmental laws.85% confidence

signed · Montana · Senate Apr 18, 2025

SB 315: Allocate funding for petroleum tank cleanup

SB 315 revises laws related to the Petroleum Tank Release Compensation Board, establishing new procedures for reimbursing owners and operators of Montana petroleum facilities for preventative measures. These measures include the removal of inactive tanks, upgrades to automatic tank gauges, and replacement of older single-walled tanks and piping. Owners or operators can receive up to $2,000 per facility every 1,000 days for approved preventative actions. The bill also modifies procedures for discussing responses to petroleum releases, making meetings discretionary for releases under $100,000.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds preventative measures (tank removal/upgrades) to prevent petroleum leaks, reducing environmental contamination risk per bill's focus on cleanup and protection.95% confidence

introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 24, 2025

LC 655: Create a pollinator health task force

Montana's LC 655 creates a 14-member Pollinator Health Task Force to develop a statewide strategy for protecting bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The task force includes representatives from agriculture (fruit, seed, berry industries), conservation groups, Montana tribes, universities, beekeepers, and pesticide distributors, with specific requirements for membership composition. It must produce a report detailing research plans, public education initiatives, habitat improvement strategies, and recommendations for legislative or budgetary changes to support pollinators. The bill appropriates $50,000 from the general fund for the task force's work during the 2025-2027 biennium, requiring the final report to be submitted to the 70th Legislature. This bill directly affects Montana's agricultural economy (which relies on pollinators for crops valued at $34 billion nationally) and ecosystems dependent on pollinator health.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentCreates task force to develop pollinator protection strategy, habitat improvement, and conservation initiatives, directly advancing environmental conservation efforts.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 27, 2025

LC 2568: Joint resolution protecting public lands.

This joint resolution expresses Montana's legislative support for maintaining federal management of national public lands, including parks, forests, and wildlife refuges. It specifically opposes efforts to sell, transfer, or dispose of these lands to private entities or state governments. The resolution directs Montana's Governor, Attorney General, and Congressional delegation to take action against such proposals, citing the economic and recreational value of public lands to Montanans (noting $5.8 billion in tourism revenue and 82% public support for monument protections). As a non-binding statement, it does not create new laws but formally aligns the state with federal land stewardship.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill protects public lands (parks, forests, wildlife refuges) from sale/transfer, directly conserving natural resources and supporting environmental protection per summary.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Parks & Recreation Public Lands

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 27, 2025

LC 2199: Joint resolution urging changes to federal wildfire policy

This Montana joint resolution (LC 2199) urges the U.S. President, Agriculture Secretary, Forest Service Chief, and Congress to modify federal wildfire and land management policies. It requests five key changes: requiring aggressive initial fire attacks to protect communities and air quality; keeping forest roads open for access and suppression; adding wildfire smoke to EPA air quality standards; ending "let it burn" policies that avoid environmental reviews; and enabling state/local involvement in federal land management. The resolution directly affects Montana communities facing wildfire risks, federal land management practices, and air quality standards. As a non-binding resolution, it seeks to address concerns about current federal approaches that contribute to larger fires, hazardous smoke, and high suppression costs.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill explicitly adds wildfire smoke to EPA air quality standards and ends 'let it burn' policies avoiding environmental reviews, directly strengthening pollution control and regulatory protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Air Quality Forestry Public Lands

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 30, 2025

LC 1608: Generally revise conservation financing laws

Montana's LC 1608 establishes a Habitat Legacy Account funded by marijuana revenue to support wildlife conservation. It allocates 75% of annual funds to the Land and Wildlife Stewardship Account for habitat acquisition, 20% to the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Account for projects, and 5% to the Big Game Highway Crossings Account for wildlife crossing infrastructure. If the Stewardship Account exceeds $50 million in unused funds, allocations shift to 80% for improvement projects and 20% for crossings. The Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks administers all accounts, with funds restricted to specific conservation purposes like habitat protection, wildlife projects, and highway crossing design.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds wildlife conservation via dedicated marijuana tax revenue, creating new appropriations for environmental programs per bill's allocation structure.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds wildlife conservation via dedicated accounts for habitat acquisition, improvement, and infrastructure, directly advancing environmental protection through specific allocations.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationAllocates 5% of funds to Big Game Highway Crossings Account for wildlife crossing infrastructure, directly funding transportation safety projects.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Wildlife Roads & Highways

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died · Montana · Legislature May 22, 2025

LC 4168: Revise laws related to tire disposal

This bill (LC 4168) aimed to revise state laws governing tire disposal, which would have directly affected tire retailers, waste management companies, and municipal recycling programs. The proposed legislation would have updated regulations for tire collection, recycling requirements, and disposal fees, though specific mechanisms were never finalized. However, the bill was placed on hold in February 2025 and ultimately died in the legislative process by May 2025, meaning no policy changes were enacted. As it never advanced beyond the drafting stage, no concrete provisions were implemented.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentUpdates tire recycling requirements and disposal fees to improve waste management, reducing environmental impact from improper tire disposal per bill's environmental protection focus.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Recycling Waste Management

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