MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER
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friend recently asked NorthWestern Energy at if we had “kil led the expen se of average the worst bill of the Montanans, undermined the session?” I asked which Montana Consumer Counsel wretched bill she was referring and the P ubl ic S er vice to. When she said SB 260, the C om m is sion , wea kened takings bill, I had to agree. land use and water quality It was the worst bill of the protections, and required the session. When she heard it Montana Attorney General was defeated, she flashed a to investigate environmental big smile and gave me a fist organizations such as MEIC. by Anne Hedges bump. As an attorney, she In short, your calls and emails understood how devastating that bill would paid off! have been. Unfortunately, far too many bills passed that Government constantly limits the use of make it harder to protect clean air and clean water. private property in order to ensure that people NorthWestern Energy still made millions of and their surroundings stay safe and healthy. dollars on the backs of hardworking Montanans. Takings legislation jeopardizes safety, health, and Montana now has the dubious distinction of the environment, which is why it was distressing being the first state to completely eliminate its that SB 260 (Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great renewable energy standard. The Legislature also Falls) flew through the Senate and a House removed the public vote on nuclear power plants committee before being stopped on the House and blocked local governments’ ability to create floor by a 41-59 vote. A nail-biter throughout, more sustainable communities. it was a huge relief when it died — in short, it Fortunately, Gov. Gianforte, who signed far epitomized the madness of the 2021 session. too many terrible bills into law, actually vetoed MEIC’s lobbyists and staff are deeply relieved a few of the worst ideas, including a bill that that the 2021 Legislature is over. It was one would have punished any organization that for the record books. The sheer volume of challenged government actions in court and a bills attacking environmental protections was bill that would have created the highest electric staggering, and their content was even worse. vehicle fees in the nation. We were incredibly fortunate to have had you, So, what’s next? Litigation and movement our members, help us defeat some of the worst building. We intend to focus on the long game proposals. Your help made a difference. and how we connect with Montanans who are We not only defeated the takings bill on the sidelines yet care deeply about this place. but also bills that would have enriched Suffice it to say, MEIC has a plan. Stay tuned.
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Montana Legislative Madness Comes to a Welcome End
Protecting Montana’s natural environment since 1973 .
