MCV Legislative Hotlist: February 23, 2009

Dear Conservation Voter,

This week, our Hot List opens with a call to action and a thank you.  To the many members and staff and interns who have been contacting legislators by phone, email, and in person, urging them to stand up for clean air and water and our outdoor traditions - thank you!  The legislature is nearing its transmittal break which begins on February 26^th, and many attacks on environmental laws need to be stopped.  Please contact, by phone or email, as soon as possible, your legislators to vote against the following bills (details are found on the attached Hot Lists).

1. HB 483 (Rep. Jones, R-Conrad) was amended in the House Federal Relations, Energy and Telecommunications Committee on Saturday. While some of the amendments make the bill slightly less bad, the bills still fundamentally undermines the public's right to challenge air and water pollution permits and Major Facility Siting Act certificates.  The purpose of the bill is to make it harder for the public to challenge permitting decisions by the Department of Environmental Quality.  Please click here to look at the fact sheet on HB 483 as amended.  Rep. Robin Driscoll (D-Billings) thankfully stood up for the public's right and voted against the bill in committee, while MCV-endorsed Rep. Brady Wiseman and Rep. Mike Phillips voted for the bill in committee.  Action: Call your Representative and urge a "no" vote on HB 483. Call Rep. Driscoll and thank her for her vote in Committee.
   
   
2. HB 529 (Rep. Jones, R-Conrad) largely exempts the State from having to consider the environmental impacts of energy projects on State lands. The bill is headed to the floor. Action: Call your Representative and urge a "no" vote.
   
   
3. HB 566 (Rep. Jones, R-Conrad) renders meaningless any legal challenge to a poor State agency decision under the Montana Environmental Policy Act. Action: Call your Representative and urge a "no" vote.  The bill is up for a vote on the House floor tomorrow. 
   
   
4. HB 575 (Rep. McChesney, D-Miles City) threatens senior water rights holders and abuses water in the face of coal bed methane development. The bill was fortunately killed in the House Ag Committee but may come up for a "blast out" motion on the House floor. Action: Call your Representative and urge a "no" vote to blasting out HB 575.
   
   
5. SB 440 (Sen. Gephardt, R-Roundup) Exempts all air pollution permitting decisions from MEPA review. It was voted out of the Senate Energy Committee and is now on the floor of the Senate.  In particular, call MCV-endorsed Senators Sharon Peregoy, who was the only MCV-backed Senator voting against the environment earlier today (see her vote on SB 417, below). Action: Please call your Senator and urge a "no" vote on SB 440.
   
   
6. 6. SB 257 (Sen. Keane D-Butte) Weakens the successful Renewable Energy Standard adopted in 2005, thereby reducing incentives for renewable energy production in Montana. Action: Please call your Senator and urge a "no" vote on SB 257.

Call your Representative and urge a "no" vote on HB 483.  Call Rep. Driscoll and thank her for her vote in Committee.

PLEASE CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY, at 406-444-4800, and leave them messages, even if you have already done so before.  Ask them to oppose all bills that limit the public¹s right to protect its health and the environment if the State fails to do so.

PLEASE ALSO CALL THE GOVERNOR, at 406-444-3111, and leave him a message.  Ask the Governor to veto all of these bills, and any others that weaken public health protections and environmental safeguards, or undermine public participation in government decisions.

Check out "How They Voted" on the MCV web site to find out which legislators that MCV endorsed voted for Senate Bill 417 (Sen. Jim Keane, D-Butte), a bill that would weaken one of Montana's most important environmental laws, the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). Only one legislators endorsed by MCV voted for this bill, Sen. Sharon Stewart Peregoy (D-Crow Agency).  Those who live in her district, call her and urge her to live up to her campaign pledge protect the environment, made in her MCV candidate endorsement questionnaire.  We'll also have Saturday and today's floor and committee votes posted soon.  Here is information on HB 417.

Next up - watch for a report at the end of this week telling you where these and other bills stand at "transmittal", the leigslature's halfway point.