Montana State Legislature

June 26-27, 2019: Agenda

• Day 1:  Minutes Log -  Video/ Audio
• Day 2:  Minutes Log -  Video/ Audio 

September 25-26, 2019: Agenda

• Day 1: Minutes Log - Video/ Audio
• Day 2: Minutes Log - Video/ Audio

January 15-16, 2020: Agenda

• Day 1: Minutes Log - Video/Audio
• Day 2: Minutes Log - Video/Audio

April 27, 2020: Agenda - Minutes Log - Video/Audio

May 27-28, 2020: Agenda

• Day 1: Minutes Log - Video/Audio
• Day 2: Minutes Log - Video/Audio

July 30, 2020: Agenda - Minutes Log - Video/Audio

September 9-10, 2020: Agenda

• Day 1: Minutes Log - Video/Audio
• Day 2: Minutes Log - Video/Audio

Interim Studies

I) SJ 20 Study of Wilderness Study Areas (WSA)

• WSAs located on national forest system lands in MT, Sept 2019
• Congressional Research Service
  • Wilderness: Overview, Management, and Statistics, July 2019
  • Wilderness: Issues and Legislation, January 2018
• Public Law 95-150
• Public Law 98-140
• January 2020 overview, LSD
• Montana Forest Collaboration Network annual report, 2019
• Summary  of current collaborative efforts in Montana
• Collaboration at a Crossroads, Wilderness Society, 2014
• WSA map
• WSA: Resources in Forest Service Areas, March 2020, LSD
• Field Measures of Wilderness Character, 2012, UM
• USFS Region 1 roadless areas in WSAs
• Mineral resource assessment, MBMG, May 2020
• Wilderness characteristics, field observations, Wilderness Institute
• final report, Sept 2020, and public comments received

II) SJ 30 Study of dissemination of wildlife location data

• Tracking Fish & Wildlife: Such a Thing as Too Close?, LSD
• Memo to EQC re: public disclosure of FWP data, LSD
• Public records requests made to FWP, 2019
• Bill draft, May 2020
• draft report, July 2020

III) HJ 38 Study of bonding, decommissioning, and remediation for energy facilities 

• HJ 38: Coal-fired power, LSD
• Colstrip: A Timeline, 2013-2019, LSD
• Revenue Impacts Due to the Closure of Colstrip Units 1 and 2, LSD
• Tax Revenue Analysis of Colstrip Units 1 and 2 closure, DOR
• Northwestern Energy press release re: acquisition of 25% share of Colstrip Unit 4
• Wind and solar: decommissioning and bonding required, LSD
• Colstrip update, May 2020, LSD
• draft report, July 2020

IV) Chronic wasting disease

• CWD status report, FY 2020, LSD
• The latest on CWD management from FWP
  • Map of 2019 CWD management zones
  • Video for hunters on how to collect and submit a lymph node sample
  • Latest test results from Libby CWD Management Zone
  • Statewide sampling reports
    • November 12, 2019
    • November 19, 2019
    • November 25, 2019
    • December 3, 2019
    • December 20, 2019
• Montana's CWD management plan, April 2018
  • Revised CWD management plan, April 2020
• testing contract between FWP and Colorado State University
• testing timeline charts, LSD
• Other states
  • Wisconsin CWD map, 2001-2019
  • Wisconsin affected counties map
  • Colorado CWD recent trends and implications
  • Colorado detected CWD in harvested mule deer bucks, 2014-2017
  • Colorado CWD testing: submission trends for harvested deer & elk
  • Wyoming CWD map, 2018, and testing samples, 1982-2018
• Current research and understanding of the potential for CWD to infect humans, Dr. Brent Race
• CWD in Farm-raised Deer, The Wisconsin Experience, Dr. Darlene Konkle and Dr. Amy Horn-Delzer
• Urban game management summary and urban game management statutes, LSD
• article on Libby deer management proposal
• CWD regulations in North America, a comparison by Michigan Dept of Natural Resources, Oct 2019
• Tracking the Spread: SJ 9 Keeps Tabs on CWD Fight,July 2018, LSD
• final report, September 2020

Administrative Rule Review

• Rule review overview
• June 2019
• June 2019 addendum
• September 2019
  • EQC objection to subdivision fee rule proposal
  • DEQ response to questions posed by EQC re: subdivision fee rule proposal
• January 2020
• March 2020 memo, LSD
• May 2020 memo, LSD
• Proposed DEQ rule on radioactive waste:
  • Original proposal, August 2019
  • Amended proposal, January 2020
  • Additional information from DEQ  - April 27, 2020
  • EQC objection letter , April 27, 2008 (Objection withdrawn May 27, 2020)
  • DEQ response to EQC questions  - May 8, 2020
• July 2020

Other topics

Aquatic invasive species

• FY 2020 Funding at a Glance, LSD, January 2020
• 2019 watercraft inspection report, FWP
• PowerPoint from Tom Woolf, May 2020, FWP
• DNRC grant program update, May 2020
• Upper Columbia Conservation Commission 2019 annual report

Bison

• Final programmatic EIS for bison conservation and management, FWP

Environmental Indicators

• Trends in Montana agriculture, LSD
• Environmental indicators, EQC
• Montana climate assessment, Montana Institute on Ecosystems

Good Neighbor Authority Updates, DNRC

• Spring 2020

State lab consolidation, MSU-Bozeman

• letter to congressional delegation re: funding, June 2019
• letter to MSU President and Board of Regents Chair re: site commitment, June 2019
• Christian/Cruzado response letter, August 2019
• HB 586 findings re co-located state laboratory space, August 2020

Trapper education

• Rep. White legislative proposal, January 2020
• Documents provided by Montana Trappers Association at January 2020 meeting
• bill draft, July 2020

Water supply updates, DNRC

• May 2020

White-nose bat syndrome, FWP

• Montana surveillance map, 2020
• U.S. occurrence map, 2006-2019

Agency litigation reports

• DEQ
• DNRC
• FWP

Agency quarterly financial reports - December 2019

• FWP
• ​​​​​​​DEQ
• ​​​​​​​DNRC

Natural resource legislation Summary, 2019

EQC requested legislation for the 2021 session:

• SJ 30 study -- clarifying the dissemination of fish and wildlife related information
• Mandatory trapper education for certain residents
• Revising decontamination requirements for vessels with ballast or bladder

DNRC

• Aquatic invasive species, September 2019
• Cabin site sales, June 2019, June 2020
• Compliance and enforcement, January 2020
• Land banking, June 2020
• Road closures and restrictions, September 2020
• Trust lands management, Fiscal Year 2019 review*

DEQ

• Compliance and enforcement, January 2020
• Libby asbestos Superfund oversight committee, June 2019, June 2020
  • Libby Superfund background
• Orphan Share remedial action, June 2019, June 2020
• Sanitation review procedures, September 2019, July 2020

FWP

• Aquatic invasive species, September 2019
• Mountain sheep, September 2020
• Sage grouse population, September 2019, September 2020
• Wildlife Habitat Improvement Act, September 2020
• Wolf management, September 2019, September 2020
• Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, 2020-2024*

Dept. of Administration

• HB 586 findings re co-located state laboratory space, August 2020

Dept. of Agriculture

• Compliance and enforcement, January 2020

Montana Sage Grouse Oversight Team - Stewardship Act activities and staffing

• September 2019
• December 2019

*indicates an agency report that was not statutorily required to be submitted to the EQC or legislature but was provided