Montana State Legislature

2007-2008 Environmental Quality Council

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The Environmental Quality Council (EQC) is a state legislative committee created by the 1971 Montana Environmental Policy Act. 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.

  • REPRESENTATIVE NORMA BIXBY (D)
  • REPRESENTATIVE SUE DICKENSON (D)
  • REPRESENTATIVE JULIE FRENCH (D)
  • REPRESENTATIVE CAROL LAMBERT (R)--Vice Chair
  • REPRESENTATIVE CHAS VINCENT (R)
  • REPRESENTATIVE CRAIG WITTE (R)
  • SENATOR BOB HAWKS (D)
  • SENATOR CHRISTINE KAUFMANN (D)
  • SENATOR DANIEL W 'DAN' MCGEE (R)
  • SENATOR JIM SHOCKLEY (R)
  • SENATOR ROBERT STORY (R)
  • SENATOR DAVID E WANZENRIED (D)--Chair

   
Public Members

  • MR. JEFF PATTISON  
  • MR. BRIAN R. CEBULL   
  • MS. DIANE CONRADI
  • MR. DOUGLAS McRAE

   Governor's Representative

  • MR. MIKE VOLESKY

    

  • Agenda
  • September 8, 2008 minutes
  • September 9, 2008 minutes
  • Memo to Council about September meeting
  • LC0274 Contingent voidness cleanup legislation
  • Additional DEQ legislative proposals
  • Petroleum Tank Release Fund, final report
  • HJ 57 Trust Land Management, draft report
           Appendices
  • FWP legislative proposals
  • Climate Change Study, draft report
           Public comment (9-5-2008)
  • Climate change draft legislation for public comment
    LC6000 Increase funding for Montana Manufacturing Extension Center and request funds be used to promote recycling. Eliminate sunset on funding for Growth through Agriculture and Montana Cooperative Development Centers.
    LC6001 Revolving loan program to finance machinery and equipment used for recycling.
    LC6002 Eliminate sunsets on tax incentives for recycling. 
    LC6003 Recycling and waste reduction grant act.
    LC6004 Tax abatements for facilities that use Montana grown raw materials in food production.
    LC6005 Require MDT to provide a report to the RTIC on measures taken to conserve energy in the transportation sector. (9-2-2008)
    LC6006 Funding for senior citizens and persons with disabilities transportation services account.
    LC6007 Funding for weatherization programs from a percentage of the increased oil and gas revenues.
    LC6008 Expand tax credits to create incentives for low-income property owners and landlords to weatherize.
    LC6009 Study bill requiring the EQC during the 2009-2010 interim to study biomass.
    LC6010 Resolution in support of the National Association of Counties stand in support of fuel reduction actions.
    LC6011 Set energy efficiency standards for new construction of state-owned buildings.

 

General Information

Climate Change

Conservation Easements

HB 22 Adjudication Status

 

Publications

 

Agency Oversight Subcommittee
Membership

Meeting Schedule and Materials

For Meetings that have audio with minutes, please use the audio archive lookup page.

July 14, 2008

Petroleum Tank Release Fund Subcommittee
Membership

The subcommittee comprises members of both the Environmental Quality Council and the Legislative Finance Committee.

Senator Robert Story, EQC
Rep. Sue Dickenson, EQC
Rep. Rick Ripley, LFC
Rep. Cynthia Hiner, LFC

Meeting Schedule and Materials

There will be no further meetings.
June 25, 2008 (conference call)

Reports

Subcommittee Report 
Submitted for review by the Environmental Quality Council, July 15, 2008
       Appendix A: Chronology of petroleum release cleanups, DEQ
       Appendix B: Petroleum Tank Release Compensation Board: fiscal year payments
       Appendix C: Petroleum Tank Release Compensation Board: historical revenue 
       Appendix D: Legal constraints applicable to petroleum release cleanups
       Appendix E: DEQ Circular 7: Numerical Water Quality Standards
       Appendix F: DEQ Technical Guidance Document 7: Soil and Groundwater Action Levels

Summary of Subcommittee Work
Submitted for review by the Legislative Finance Committee, June 6, 2008 

Solvency of the Petroleum Tank Release Fund 
Prepared by Barbara Smith, Fiscal Analyst, updated May 2008

GAO Report to Congress: "Leaking Underground Storage Tanks: EPA Should Take Steps to Better Ensure the Effective Use of Public Funding for Cleanups," published February 2007

Legislative Proposals
As proposed by the Petroleum Tank Release Compensation Board, April 2008

 

EQC WPIC Joint Subcommittee
The Water Policy Interim Committee created for the 2007-08 biennium by House Bill No. 304 will terminate June 30, 2009. The EQC and the WPIC formed a joint subcommittee to discuss future water policy development options in Montana.

Membership

Meeting Schedule and Materials

For Meetings that have audio with minutes, please use the audio archive lookup page.
September 8, 2008

 

Proposed Legislation

  • LC0274 Contingent voidness cleanup legislation
  • LC6000 - * LAWS LC 390
  • LC6001 - * LAWS LC 389 (EQC requested amendments pending)
  • LC6002 - * LAWS LC 388
  • LC6005 - * LAWS LC 387
  • LC6006 - * LAWS LC 386
  • LC6007 - * LAWS LC 385
  • LC6008 - * LAWS LC 384 (EQC requested amendments pending)
  • LC6009 - * LAWS LC 383
  • LC6011 - * LAWS LC 382
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