[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6304004,"mediaKeyId","2469369-fd706ec364c095dde01fe7df9a218c65","parentId",2469369,"title","Bill would create state brownfields fund to help towns assess and clean contaminated properties","audioSeconds",1115,"startMs",4040000,"endMs",5155000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469369-fd706ec364c095dde01fe7df9a218c65&start=4040&end=5155","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469369-fd706ec364c095dde01fe7df9a218c65/thumbnail_4040000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6304004/Montana/Bill-would-create-state-brownfields-fund-to-help-towns-assess-and-clean-contaminated-properties","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304004-4d1c056bb75c7a4f82a20573d8d3d1f0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445309&Signature=J25yZxsJln2WxMfOzRAINPxxOnWyA~DAbh6Fz21IYQ1Dj9ZxOj9VmWI4IUGRMNr76PwBuENnHiH-vuf3SObZarILcXqXTeNp7paqUM5iN6Un8p07WHNq3fhtX1PqNxY6pmbYaFewDXvnlhQRkBIXiavwrW6rBf15VzjsnOIn-DBYX-6FcNc6JRmDoQRmvuMiMbvHz6beN7bdOyeIKCF5I3rlCnKR7B0adcK7y3JITdbofi8ZkPUdZPVwQirmp5zkQSk4JREhI2~ziGz3UK6aZTP3d9TaeE734~V6fmXB1LoiWBd6lsq0ZALvErszhX-y2dDAM3Ufq0YYKMzZNZcIhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montana Legislature","date","2025-03-01T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Paul Tuss, House District 27, opened the hearing on House Bill 808, saying the bill would expand Montana’s petroleum brownfields law to cover hazardous substances and establish a state brownfields fund to supplement federal brownfields grants.

Proponents from economic development organizations and local governments said the state fund would help rural communities prepare projects for federal funding and cover costs often missing from federal awards—assessment, demolition, and hazardous‑materials abatement. Eric Seidensticker, chair of the Montana Economic Developers Association policy committee, and Leah Lewis of Jefferson Local Development Corporation said state funds would build local capacity and leverage competitive federal grants; Lewis described a local EPA grant application where costs rose from an initial estimate of about $1 million to roughly $3.1 million and said local organizations lack the technical staff to assemble strong federal applications.

Several witnesses urged an appropriation to capitalize the proposed fund. Sponsor Tuss said he would ask the committee or the Senate to add a modest appropriation and suggested $2,000,000 as a starting point; he and witnesses described the existing Montana brownfields infrastructure as ready to “plug and play” if funding were provided.

Sonya Nowakowski, director of the Department of Environmental Quality, and Amy Steinmetz (DEQ waste‑management division administrator) testified as informational witnesses and said the bill authorizes DEQ to adopt rules for the program. DEQ told the committee it would prefer federal funds be used first and that state funding would augment federal resources and increase the number of projects that could be addressed.

Proponents urged a do‑pass recommendation. No committee vote on HB 808 is recorded in the transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Natural Resources 2025-03-01","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 808 would expand Montana’s petroleum brownfields law to include hazardous substances and establish a state brownfields fund to help communities assess, clean up and redevelop contaminated properties.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MT, Montana","taxId",77694,"location","Montana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304009,"Bill would allow nutrient offsets, letting dischargers fund watershed projects instead of costly plant upgrades",1472,2567000,4039000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469369-fd706ec364c095dde01fe7df9a218c65&start=2567&end=4039","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469369-fd706ec364c095dde01fe7df9a218c65/thumbnail_2567000.jpg","/articles/6304009/Montana/Bill-would-allow-nutrient-offsets-letting-dischargers-fund-watershed-projects-instead-of-costly-plant-upgrades","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304009-50063941083573fa9436902ccf08cbb7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445309&Signature=jkzq5hSIhTtJ4e~eFZK28EgfDbfm-zXaOxzrsIKeqXwf9ycBBiYmeJgOrjaJhrMIaebaTZ9RdDcnWuaeYPm4aXjFJZCvKYRFhknEPOzSWYvJvn7FXShNf6K7dxrGGA2eFux-~b7~A7Nnf4uBd~B97qIJJoxxpu~rq2kQ4DlOCs~qp7JXhaotwTApe8boHBaHS5RF~WHMC7mkCMi~axboA6jVGjGqW8z33QzcmU4qj42Kku1bNwOohHHfHWKq96eoEhllXnKZvjoImiZkD8qC8a608-RywDOfw4sHmWx2nmnaL7OMGFA7lULsGO0yO53PcpuB2-M8GXPyohnwFCB9GQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Steve Fitzpatrick, House District 24, opened the hearing on House Bill 736, which would revise the Montana Water Quality Act to permit nutrient offsets that deliver a net decrease in watershed nutrient loading. Fitzpatrick said the bill aims to give regulated point sources alternatives to expensive treatment upgrades by enabling offsets such as riparian fencing, wetland development, or septic‑system removal.

Industry and local governments rose in support. Matt Vincent (on behalf of the Montana Mining Association) said offsets let point sources address unregulated nonpoint pollution and could be far less costly than major treatment plant investments. Ed Coleman, deputy public works director for the city of Helena, provided a map of the Prickly Pear Creek watershed and testified that municipal upgrades could cost tens of millions of dollars; he urged tools that produce measurable results in the creek at lower cost.

Other supporters included the Montana Coal Council, the Montana Petroleum Association, Treasure State Resources Association, and the Montana League of Cities and Towns. Jennifer Olson of the League emphasized adaptive management and voluntary agreements with landowners and said the bill could allow municipalities to address nonpoint sources without forcing landowners to participate.

Sonya Nowakowski, director of the Department of Environmental Quality, testified in support of the bill’s concepts but said statutory language needs work; DEQ offered to help refine provisions and said existing DEQ guidance (Circular DEQ‑13 and a 2016 load‑reduction estimation guide) could support offsets. Nowakowski and other witnesses discussed monitoring, verification, and the need for defensible offset ratios; DEQ estimated implementing offsets would require one full‑time equivalent staff position and roughly $15,000 per year for lab services.

Derf Johnson of the Montana Environmental Information Center said he was open to the concept but called the bill too “bare bones” as drafted: he asked for retained numeric standards, improved load‑offset methods grounded in best science, and robust monitoring and verification.

The sponsor closed by thanking supporters; no committee vote on HB 736 is recorded in the transcript.","House Bill 736 would let regulated point‑source dischargers receive permit credit for funding or implementing nonpoint‑source nutrient‑reduction projects within the same watershed, provided the offset produces a net decrease in nutrient loading.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304019,"Lawmakers hear bill to limit state greenhouse‑gas analysis under MEPA",982,317000,1299000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469369-fd706ec364c095dde01fe7df9a218c65&start=317&end=1299","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469369-fd706ec364c095dde01fe7df9a218c65/thumbnail_317000.jpg","/articles/6304019/Montana/Lawmakers-hear-bill-to-limit-state-greenhousegas-analysis-under-MEPA","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304019-7539b96e95fd35d9f212a96291004393/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445309&Signature=Xaw3uBJiTLsA1v3Nk~fdOEdFPXUE1RaBBZB7vy2PDVJ2BTD7qMaE4XCsU421ZL2aw~sHnzujKVx0l5c-K-SRa020WYtVZkHmt8jlNJZ3WF2usN6yhHxcj1lXRI7Lv7T~PvOqc88XkHabq9D25YVx40~JOyw6I82CHgL~rhpWoxuDKdji4-W~FjcgB3w7Ftb0Un2L~cYL1JQfekocCkxb6AFeEytfALBGtuxFrXwbUdK0OI1CZxUAtWFJCxn~JO53-72Wh~LxPZnH2XWuoODBNzhSFq9qn2Pi~Cxo7JrCqnJ5yevut39wul3trg~XKYWzY7pc8Bn0urMP1O-X0OZ0EQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Curtis Schomer, House District 48, opened the hearing on House Bill 703, saying the bill would set guidelines for how climate analysis is conducted under the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and give the state discretion about whether to perform greenhouse‑gas evaluations.

Schomer said the Montana Supreme Court had ruled the blanket prohibition on evaluating greenhouse gases unconstitutional and described HB 703 as a response that “ensures the state has the discretion to develop a MEPA review without being second guessed by the courts.” He said the bill would avoid requiring Montana taxpayers to pay for reviews of emission sources the state cannot regulate.

An opponent identified in the hearing as Miss Hedges argued the bill would reinsert language that several other pending MEPA bills are removing and questioned the section that would bar analyses of emissions “from beyond Montana’s borders.” Hedges said federal law already limits state authority over vehicle emissions and other sources and warned the proposed language could conflict with the Supreme Court’s recent decision and ongoing legislation that explicitly preserves consideration of out‑of‑state pollution.

Sonya Nowakowski, director of the Department of Environmental Quality, testified as an informational witness and said DEQ does not generally regulate appliances or vehicles and therefore does not expect HB 703 to directly affect the department’s permitting actions. On the provision about sources “beyond the state’s borders,” Nowakowski said the language is unclear and appears tied to motor‑vehicle regulation; she noted related issues are being addressed in other MEPA bills.

Committee members asked whether the bill would prevent baseline analyses needed to evaluate impacts to Montana if out‑of‑state sources cannot be considered. Schomer said the bill preserves the option to conduct evaluations but aims to return discretion to the Legislature. Nowakowski said she read the section as being specific to certain activities and said other MEPA legislation addresses related questions.

The sponsor closed by reiterating his position that Montana should not be required to spend taxpayer funds analyzing emissions from sources it cannot control and said he would ask for a due‑pass vote.

This was a hearing; no committee vote on HB 703 was recorded during the transcript.","Representative Curtis Schomer, House District 48, opened the hearing on House Bill 703, which would limit when Montana must analyze greenhouse‑gas emissions under the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA).",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304014,"Bill would let state marry mining permits to property, use eminent domain for successor operators",1257,1286000,2543000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469369-fd706ec364c095dde01fe7df9a218c65&start=1286&end=2543","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469369-fd706ec364c095dde01fe7df9a218c65/thumbnail_1286000.jpg","/articles/6304014/Montana/Bill-would-let-state-marry-mining-permits-to-property-use-eminent-domain-for-successor-operators","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304014-2e318cdb59acd94c218ee3dd379c4af6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445309&Signature=KrOzVgpEtC6k--V7RTGc4CKS8U4LimquXxS-dTOn6MSAOAa-dxc5L3Ix451Fbon4x1MuSsnsmR2B~oAb5uNc6QOe8Fs8YD2IBHTfxQ3zAqWYcJ-dVZpxW2JwcB8BBasQ1vmSoh-ANeicP9azKlyQFAjskt-8mrG9MEwneXh559RlZz3xfTsdU7OZKUFm5Ijbeh2uYhTwl8~upcp7J3MUNIDOHXzoh6jp3HOjQfuJnWWnhzyYSQm0wPa1gJCTq7w~f81beHOQd4jU8RL~9sFSK67ksmccDslwUIaHnLsInMR3oPYAXycz287CtMgVBzZKG~fHAUxWvOmYfM17-xdnjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative John Fitzpatrick, House District 76, opened the hearing on House Bill 717 and said the bill helps DEQ transfer mining permits and operations away from bad actors to successor operators who can reclaim or restart mines.

Proponents including Matt Vincent (representing the Montana Mining Association), Terry Koons (Jefferson County Treasurer), and George Harris (executive director, Montana Coal Council) told the committee the statute already allows DEQ to transfer a revoked permit when a successor posts bond but that a transferred permit is worthless if the successor cannot access or control the underlying property. Vincent said HB 717 creates a pathway to “marry the permit with the property,” and—within existing eminent‑domain law—provides valuation and compensation to property owners so a successor operator could post bond and assume obligations without leaving taxpayers liable.

Jefferson County Treasurer Terry Koons told the committee her county has struggled for about 14 years with a stalled mine and said the bill would be “a tool in the toolbox” in cases where existing remedies have not succeeded. Several committee members asked questions about liens, leased property, bond shortfalls and whether the tool would force counties to absorb cleanup costs.

Sonya Nowakowski, director of the Department of Environmental Quality, testified as an informational witness that DEQ currently can exercise eminent domain through an established process for reclamation. Nowakowski said if a bond has been forfeited, DEQ can hold those funds while seeking a successor; if a successor operator assumes the operation, the successor would be responsible for making the bond whole (the department used an illustrative example in which a required bond of $50,000,000 and $25,000,000 in forfeited funds would leave the successor responsible for the remaining $25,000,000).

Committee members asked how often the authority would be necessary; Nowakowski said one mine is currently in this position. Sponsor Fitzpatrick framed Montana Tunnels Mine in Jefferson County as the factual problem motivating the bill and described how a state condemnation could be structured so an operator with cash would buy the property from the state after valuation in an eminent‑domain proceeding.

Proponents urged a do‑pass recommendation. No committee vote on HB 717 is recorded in the transcript.","House Bill 717 would let regulators transfer revoked mining permits to successor operators by giving the state a pathway to combine permits with property and, if necessary, use eminent domain to enable reclamation or restart operations; proponents said the tool protects taxpayers and communities, opponents raised due‑process and lien concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would create state brownfields fund to help towns assess and clean contaminated properties

Bill would allow nutrient offsets, letting dischargers fund watershed projects instead of costly plant upgrades

Lawmakers hear bill to limit state greenhouse‑gas analysis under MEPA

Bill would let state marry mining permits to property, use eminent domain for successor operators