EQC to Finalize Environmental Proposals for 2011 Legislature
The state Environmental Quality Council will meet Sept. 13-14 to decide what natural resource bills it wants to forward to the 2011 Legislature for consideration. The council is considering proposals related to the use of biomass for energy production, the removal and remediation of petroleum tank releases, and the use of riverbeds.
The meeting will be the council’s last before the 2011 session.
The bipartisan council will meet at 10 a.m. Sept. 13 and 8 a.m. Sept. 14 in Room 172 of the State Capitol in Helena. The public is welcome to attend and will have a chance to comment. A complete agenda, copies of the draft legislation, and other meeting handouts are available on the legislative Web site at www.leg.mt.gov/eqc.
The council also will:
hear a presentation by members and staff of the Legislative Finance Committee on potential budget cuts that could affect state agencies dealing with natural resources and the environment;
finalize a study of wildland fire suppression in Montana and get an update on this year’s fire season; and
get an update on a lawsuit and recent court ruling related to the status of wolves on the Endangered Species List.
The meeting will be broadcast over the legislative Web site at www.leg.mt.gov. It also will air on the state public access television network, TVMT. To find your local TVMT channel, visit www.leg.mt.gov/tvmt.
Members of the Environmental Quality Council are Rep. Chas Vincent, R-Libby (chair); Rep. Sue Dickenson, D-Great Falls; Rep. Julie French, D-Scobey; Sen. Brad Hamlett, D-Cascade (vice chair); Sen. Jim Keane, D-Butte; Rep. Mike Milburn, R-Cascade; Sen. Rick Ripley, R-Wolf Creek; Sen. Jim Shockley, R-Victor; Rep. Cary Smith, R-Billings; Sen. Mitch Tropila, D-Great Falls; Sen. Bruce Tutvedt, R-Kalispell; and Rep. Franke Wilmer, D-Bozeman.
Also on the council are citizen members Jeff Pattison, Glasgow; Brian Cebull, Billings; Diane Conradi, Whitefish; and Mary Fitzpatrick, Billings. Mike Volesky of Helena represents the Governor’s Office.
For more information, contact the Legislative Environmental Policy Office at 406-444-3742.
