Environment

died · Montana · Legislature May 23, 2025

LC 3736: Create a state energy conservation standard

This bill (LC 3736) was introduced to establish a state energy conservation standard but died in committee on May 23, 2025, without progressing further. The provided context does not include details about the proposed standard's specific requirements, affected entities (such as building owners, utilities, or manufacturers), or any mechanisms for implementation. As a draft that never advanced beyond the initial assignment stage, no concrete policy changes or provisions were defined in the available information. Therefore, a substantive summary of its content or impact cannot be provided based on the given context.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill explicitly creates energy conservation standard, promoting efficiency and sustainable practices per title and summary.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill creates energy conservation standard, directly promoting resource conservation and emissions reduction per environmental protection indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Energy Efficiency Conservation

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died · Montana · Legislature May 23, 2025

LC 3743: Generally revise state energy policy

This bill (LC 3743) proposed a comprehensive revision to the state's energy policy framework. It would have updated regulations and goals for energy production, distribution, and sustainability, directly affecting state energy agencies, utility companies, and ratepayers. The key mechanism involved establishing new renewable energy targets and modernizing grid infrastructure standards. However, the bill died in the legislative process on May 23, 2025, without becoming law. As a draft that did not advance, it did not result in any policy changes.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyEstablishes new renewable energy targets and modernizes grid infrastructure standards, directly advancing clean energy goals per bill summary.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes new renewable energy targets and modernizes grid infrastructure for sustainability, directly promoting clean energy and environmental protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy

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died · Montana · Legislature May 23, 2025

LC 3522: Generally revise water quality standards

LC 3522, titled "Generally revise water quality standards," was a bill intended to update state regulations governing clean water levels in rivers, lakes, and coastal areas. It would have directly affected water quality regulators, industrial facilities, and wastewater treatment plants by changing the specific pollution limits they must meet. The bill's key mechanism involved revising numerical thresholds for contaminants like nutrients and chemicals to align with updated scientific research. However, the bill died in process on May 23, 2025, and never became law, so no policy changes were implemented.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill revises water quality standards using updated scientific research to strengthen pollution limits, directly advancing environmental protection and water conservation goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drinking Water Recycling Water Quality

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died · Montana · Legislature May 26, 2025

LC 1313: Revise conservation easement laws

This bill (LC 1313) aimed to revise state laws governing conservation easements - legal agreements that protect land from development. It would have directly affected landowners, farmers, conservation groups, and local governments by altering how easements are created, managed, and enforced. The proposed changes included updated requirements for easement documentation and new oversight processes for land conservation projects. However, the bill never advanced beyond the drafting stage, as it was placed on hold and ultimately died in the legislative process in May 2025. No policy changes were enacted.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill revises conservation easement laws to strengthen land protection and conservation efforts, directly advancing environmental protection through updated documentation and oversight for conservation projects.90% confidence ✗ HousingOpposes HousingBill restricts land development via conservation easements, limiting housing projects by preventing construction on protected land.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Property Development Property Taxes

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died · Montana · Legislature May 26, 2025

LC 1391: Requiring certain entities doing business in Montana to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions

This bill (LC 1391) proposed requiring certain businesses operating in Montana to publicly report their greenhouse gas emissions. It would have directly affected large commercial entities meeting specific size or emission thresholds within the state. The bill outlined a reporting mechanism for entities to submit annual emissions data to a state agency. However, the bill was drafted in November 2024 and ultimately died in the legislative process by May 2025, meaning it never became law and no policy changes were implemented.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates public reporting of greenhouse gas emissions by large businesses, promoting transparency and accountability for environmental impact per bill summary.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Climate Change

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died · Montana · Legislature May 27, 2025

LC 1855: Generally revise water quality standards laws

This bill (LC 1855) aimed to update state water quality standards laws but was never enacted. It would have revised rules governing pollutants in waterways, directly affecting water regulators, industries discharging wastewater, and communities relying on clean water sources. The proposed changes included modernizing testing methods and setting updated limits for contaminants. However, the draft was placed on hold and ultimately died in the legislative process on May 27, 2025, meaning no policy changes were implemented.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill aimed to modernize water quality standards, update pollutant limits, and strengthen testing methods, directly advancing environmental protection for water resources.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drinking Water Water Quality

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died · Montana · Legislature May 27, 2025

LC 3166: Require public utilities to report a plan for 100% renewables

LC 3166 would have required public utilities to develop and submit detailed plans outlining how they would achieve 100% renewable energy sources (like wind and solar) for their operations. The bill aimed to set specific timelines for utilities to phase out fossil fuels and transition to renewable power, directly affecting electricity providers serving the public. However, the bill was introduced in 2024, placed on hold in January 2025, and ultimately died in the legislative process in May 2025, so it never became law.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyMandates utilities to develop 100% renewable plans with fossil fuel phaseout timelines, directly advancing renewable energy transition per bill content.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRequires public utilities to develop 100% renewable energy plans, phasing out fossil fuels to reduce emissions and protect environment per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Renewable Energy Solar

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died · Montana · Legislature May 27, 2025

LC 2611: Establish criteria for renewable resource grants and loans

This bill (LC 2611) intended to establish specific criteria for awarding state grants and loans to support renewable energy projects. It would have directly affected renewable energy developers and applicants seeking state funding by defining eligibility requirements and application processes. However, the bill was assigned to a drafter in December 2024, placed on hold, and ultimately died in the legislative process on May 27, 2025, without becoming law. Therefore, no criteria were ever implemented.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill intended to establish state grant/loan criteria for renewable energy projects, directly allocating public funds through budgetary mechanisms per its summary.90% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill explicitly aimed to establish criteria for state grants/loans supporting renewable energy projects, directly aligning with funding and advancing renewable energy infrastructure indicators.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes criteria for state grants/loans to fund renewable energy projects, directly promoting clean energy development as an environmental protection measure.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Renewable Energy Recycling Water Quality

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died · Montana · Legislature May 27, 2025

LC 2866: Generally revise laws related to conservation easements

This bill (LC 2866) was a proposed revision of laws governing conservation easements, which are legal agreements protecting land for conservation purposes. It was drafted in late 2024 but never advanced beyond the drafting stage, dying in process on May 27, 2025. The bill's specific changes to easement rules were never finalized or considered by the legislature. As a result, it did not affect any landowners, conservation groups, or government agencies. The legislative process for this bill concluded without any action.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill proposes revising conservation easement laws, which protect land for conservation, indicating supportive intent toward environmental conservation.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation

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died · Montana · Legislature May 27, 2025

LC 2864: Generally revise laws around environmental social governance credit scores

This bill (LC 2864) aimed to revise state laws governing how environmental and social performance metrics are used in credit scoring systems. It would have directly affected businesses and financial institutions using these metrics for lending or investment decisions. The proposed changes included standardizing definitions, establishing reporting requirements, and creating oversight mechanisms for ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) credit assessments. However, the bill died in the legislative process on May 27, 2025, and never became law.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentStandardizes ESG metrics in credit scoring with oversight, strengthening environmental considerations in financial decisions for businesses.90% confidence

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