Legislative Action Alert: April 14th 2021 | Montana Audubon


Montana Audubon

Montana Audubon works at the local, state and national policy levels to protect our natural heritage.

Legislative Action Alert: April 14th 2021

SB 165: Generally revise laws related to the department of environmental quality

Status: 3rd reading on 4/15

Position: Oppose

SB 165 would eliminate sanitation review for subdivisions of land that are greater than 500 feet from surface waters and exempt minor subdivisions of land from having to conduct a storm drainage review. It also appears to exempt expansions of systems designed for wastewater disposal, stormwater, and solid waste disposal from review.

Urgent Action!

  1. During the 2nd reading on 4/14 SB 165 was one vote away from being voted down! We need you help, Search here to find your local senator and contact them here. Tell them to vote NO on SB 165 for the third reading on 4/15!
  2. If you live in Kalispell or Fort Benton contact your representative, there is a chance to flip their vote!

Rep Frank Garner: (406) 752-5696, frankgarnerhd7@gmail.com

Rep Josh Kassmier: (406) 781-5386, JKASSMIER@LIVE.COM

 

SB 323: Generally revise Montana Administrative Procedure Act

Status: Waiting committee action in House Business and Labor

Position: Oppose

SB 323 would amend the Montana Administrative Procedures Act to require agencies to prepare economic impact statements for almost all of their proposed rule changes. Currently, if requested by 15 legislators this is already possible. The bill takes power away from agencies, no longer allowing them to propose or amend rules with economic impacts of $2.5 million or more a year. These rules would have to be passed through legislation. Rule-making would be limited between session years, and many stakeholders would be cut out of the process.

Action!

  1. 1. Follow the steps below to contact the House Business and Labor Committee
  • Fill out the form provided.
  • Select Committees (You may have to scroll down to find this)
  • Select (H) Business and Labor
  • Select Bill Type (SB) and Bill Number 323
  • Select Oppose
  • Provide your message, making sure to personalize with your name, hometown and one sentence about your background and concern.
  1. Contact the House Business and Labor Committee directly!

Noland, Mark (R) ‑ Chair, (406) 253-8982, marknolandhd10@gmail.com

Buttrey, Ed (R) ‑ Vice Chair, (406) 452-6460, ed.buttrey@mtleg.gov

Sullivan, Katie (D) ‑ Vice Chair, (406) 616-3914, katie.sullivan@mtleg.gov

Abbott, Kim (D), (406) 439-8721, kim.abbott@mtleg.gov

Anderson, Fred (R), (406) 761-4042, Unavailable email

Curdy, Willis (D), (406) 728-0981, Willis.Curdy@mtleg.gov

Duram, Neil (R), (406) 471-2356, Neil.Duram@mtleg.gov

Fitzgerald, Ross (R), (406) 467-2032, ross.fitzgerald@mtleg.gov

Funk, Moffie (D), (406) 461-6785, Moffie.Funk@mtleg.gov

Galloway, Steven (R), (406) 727-4963, galloway4mt@gmail.com

Gist, Steve (R), (406) 231-4050, steve.gist@mtleg.gov

Gunderson, Steve (R), (406) 334-4370, steve.gunderson@mtleg.gov

Harvey, Derek (D), (406) 490-5472, derek.harvey@mtleg.gov

Loge, Denley (R), (406) 649-2368, Denleylogehd14@gmail.com

Marshall, Ron (R), (406) 579-9498, ronmarshallmt87@gmail.com

Novak, Sara (D), (406) 691-0069, novak4hd77@gmail.com

Olsen, Andrea (D), (406) 543-2666, Andrea.Olsen@MTLeg.gov

Seekins‑Crowe, Kerri (R), (406) 208-6587, Kerri4MT@gmail.com

Whiteman Pena, Rynalea (D), (406) 477-8717, pena_rynalea@yahoo.com

Zolnikov, Katie (R), (406) 690-1684, unavailable email

Clerk: Jordee Bomgardner, Rm 468, 406-444‑1513

Staff: Jameson Walker, Rm 125, 406-444‑3722

 

SB 379: Generally revise coal-fired generation laws

Status: Waiting committee action in House Energy, Technology and Federal Relations 

Position: Oppose

SB 379 is a radical corporate bailout bill that would force NorthWestern Energy’s customers to be a giant money printing machine for the company and its shareholders. In short, it would force customers of NorthWestern Energy to pay more than $1 billion for Colstrip Unit 4 – an astronomical sum for a 35-year-old coal-fired power plant that keeps breaking down. This puts the costs of remediation and environmental impacts on the ratepayers too, ignores the habitat costs of burning fossil fuel, and doesn’t even require that NorthWestern use the Colstrip plant to produce electricity! This bill had a hearing today!

Action!

1.If you are a Business owner or Ratepayer we need you to sign on and OPPOSE NorthWestern’s Billion Dollar Bailout. 

  1. Message the House Energy, Technology and Federal Relations Committee here, tell them to vote NO on SB 379.
  2. Contact the House Energy, Technology and Federal Relations Committee directly!

Skees, Derek (R) ‑ Chair, (406) 212-5493, Derek.Skees@mtleg.gov

Zolnikov, Katie (R) ‑ Vice Chair, (406) 690-1684, 

Hayman, Denise (D) ‑ Vice Chair, (406) 587-7229, denise.hayman@mt.gov

Binkley, Michele (R), (406) 375-0291, michele@binkleyformontana.com

Brewster, Larry (R),  (406) 670-0929, Larry.Brewster@mtleg.gov

Custer, Geraldine (R), (406) 351-1235, jericuster@yahoo.com

Duram, Neil (R), (406) 471-2356, Neil.Duram@mtleg.gov

Kassmier, Joshua (R), (406) 781-5386, JKASSMIER@LIVE.COM

Kortum, Kelly (D), (406) 404-6643, kelly.kortum@mtleg.gov

Olsen, Andrea (D), (406) 543-2666, Andrea.Olsen@MTLeg.gov

Phalen, Bob (R), (406) 939-1187, Bob.Phalen@mtleg.gov

Sullivan, Katie (D), (406) 616-3914, katie.sullivan@mtleg.gov

Clerk: Brittany Bury, Rm 468, 406-444‑4876

Staff: Trevor Graff, Rm 171A, 406-444‑4975

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