Montana Senate Conservation Hotlist Week 11: March 16th, 2015

Montana Senate Conservation Hotlist Week 11: March 16th, 2015
Please Support:
SJ 17, Interim study regarding coal phase-out, Sen. Phillips (D-Bozeman), Hearing,
Senate Natural Resources, 3/18 at 3pm, Support. Directs an interim study to analyze the
economic, environmental and public health costs and benefits of phasing out the burning
and mining of coal in Montana. The resolution also directs the study to assess the potential
for replacing coal-fired generation with alternative energy, to outline measure to minimize
economic impacts to coal reliant communities, and to assess Montana’s competitiveness in a
carbon constrained economy. Contact Anne Hedges, Montana Environmental Information
Center, 461.9546, ahedges@meic.org.
SB 374, Revise oil and gas tax holiday and provide funding to local governments,
Sen. Kaufmann (D-Helena), Senate Taxation, awaiting executive action, Support. This bill
would require oil and gas companies to pay their fair tax share through an equitable
production tax structure. SB 374 would impose a “trigger” on the oil and gas tax holiday,
requiring companies to pay a production tax when the price of oil is $52.59 or higher per
barrel. The price trigger would be set for inflationary adjustment. Half of the revenue
generated would go to cities and towns in oil-producing counties, and the other half would
go into the general fund. Contact Adam Haight, Northern Plains Resource Council,
661.345.1056, adam@northernplains.org.
HB 447, Revise “right to participate laws” related to attorney fees, Rep. Wagoner
(R-Montana City), Senate Judiciary, awaiting executive action, Support. This bill requires a
governmental entity to pay a party’s attorney fees if that party successfully brings a suit
against a governmental agency for violating their constitutional right to participate. Contact
Derf Johnson, Montana Environmental Information Center, 581.4634, djohnson@meic.org.
HB 448, Revise “right to know laws” related to attorney fees, Rep. Wagoner (RMontana City), Senate Judiciary, awaiting executive action, Support. This bill requires a
governmental entity to pay a party´s attorney fees if that party successfully brings a suit
against a governmental agency for violating their constitutional right to know. Contact Derf
Johnson, Montana Environmental Information Center, 581.4634, djohnson@meic.org.
Please Oppose:
HJ 11, Joint resolution regarding the keystone pipeline, Rep. Lang (R-Malta), Hearing,
Senate Energy & Telecommunications, 3/17 at 3pm, Oppose. This resolution would support
construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would allow a Canadian corporation to ship
oil to Asia via Gulf Coast refineries. Development of the tar sands has proven to be a major
contributor to climate change and pollution of our air and water. Contact Anne Hedges,
Montana Environmental Information Center, 461.9546, ahedges@meic.org.
HB 244, Fund litigation protecting Montana products in interstate commerce, Rep.
Essmann (R-Billings), Senate Finance and Claims, awaiting executive action, Oppose. This bill
would instigate litigation on coal exports by creating a $1 million slush fund for Montana
Attorney General Tim Fox to instigate litigation in Oregon and Washington in support of coal
export terminals. This would double the Attorney General’s entire litigation budget. Contact Anne
Hedges, Montana Environmental Information Center, 461.9546, ahedges@meic.org.
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Senate Conservation Hotlist, 03/16/2015
SB 387, Revise water quality violation penalties, Sen. Smith (R-Billings), Senate
Natural Resources, awaiting executive action, Oppose. This bill would limit the penalty
amount that the Department of Environmental Quality can fine an entity that violates water
quality laws. Currently the DEQ has discretion to charge up to $10,000 per day. This bill
would limit DEQ to $500 per day with no more than $1000 per day for violations that
directly harm public health or the environment. DEQ already has the discretion to limit
penalties. This creates a problem if an entity says failure to hand in reports doesn’t directly
cause harm, but without that reporting DEQ is unable to determine if harm has occurred.
Contact Derf Johnson, Montana Environmental Information Center, 581.4634,
djohnson@meic.org or contact Anne Hedges, Montana Environmental Information Center,
461.9546, ahedges@meic.org.
The Weekly Hotlist is published as an educational service to lawmakers and citizens by the Conservation
Working Group, comprised of the organizations listed below. Contact Neal Ullman, Montana Conservation
Voters at 254-1593 ext 3.
Clark Fork Coalition * Community Food and Agriculture Coalition * Montana Audubon
Montana Conservation Voters * Montana Environmental Information Center (MEIC)
Montana Public Interest Research Group (MontPIRG) * Montana Sierra Club * Montana Smart Growth Coalition
Montana Trout Unlimited * Northern Plains Resource Council
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