Member Resources for the 2011 Legislative Session News and media outlets are already plowing full-steam into their coverage of the 2011 legislative session in Helena. And at the Coalition, we’re also poised to offer members and interested citizens tools, tips, and resources for navigating the ins and outs of the decision-making process.
Want to contact your legislator? We have a list of legislators in the basin, including their districts and email addresses. Not sure of your legislator? View our state-wide and city maps, find out your district, and then double-check our list to find your representative.
Or, use the Montana Legislative easy email contact form: http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/62nd/legwebmessage.asp
Meanwhile, stay up-to-date with the latest from the legislature by signing up for our email alerts or visiting our Latest Legislative News pages. And, bookmark our ‘What’s Hot’ section of the site, and check back to our progress on important bills moving through the House and Senate.
This week’s Hot Item:
The Coalition is supporting House Bill 28 (HB 28), which proposes to revise requirements for septic mixing zones. The new requirements would require that septic mixing zones be located wholly within the subdivision where the drainfield is located. Improperly situated or overloaded septic drain fields can cause excess nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, to leach from fields into our waterways, causing unwanted algae. HB 28 will mandate better placement of septic drain fields, improving water quality in the Clark Fork basin.
HB 28, introduced by Walter McNutt, will have a hearing January 17 in the Natural Resources Committee. Use the Montana Legislature’s online email form to let your legislator on this committee know that you support HB 28. http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/62nd/legwebmessage.asp, or use your personal email.
Natural Resources Committee:
Gordon Hendrick (HD 14)
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Gerald (Jerry) Bennett (HD 1)
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Wendy Warburton (HD 34)
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Mike Miller (HD 84)
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Cleve J Loney (HD 25)
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Alan Hale (HD 77)
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Bill Harris (HD 30)
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Pat Connell (HD 87)
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Kelly Flynn (HD 68)
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Michele Reinhart (HD 97)
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Betsy Hands (HD 99)
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Dick Barrett (HD 93)
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Kathleen Williams (HD 65)
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Virginia Court (HD 52)
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Brian Hoven (HD 24)
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The session’s just begun, but we’ve already outlined our list of recommendations for 2011. As new bills and action items surface, we’ll be sure we’re adhering to our goals for clean water in the Clark Fork basin. Want to help keep us accountable? Shoot us an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
2011 Recommendations:
1. PROTECT SENIOR WATER RIGHTS: Continue the state’s long tradition of protecting senior water rights holders under the Prior Appropriation Doctrine:
a. Do not expand the exemption for permit-exempt wells.
b. Do not create an exemption for coal bed methane (CBM) companies to sell and market water.
c. Support aquifer recharge and reinjection for CBM production to avoid depleted aquifers.
2. SAFEGUARD OUR CLEAN WATER:
a. Encourage responsible natural gas development by requiring companies to disclose the contents of toxic hydraulic fracturing fluids.
b. Protect property owners, drinking water, and groundwater by passing the “Septic Disclosure Act,” to require sellers to provide information related to the septic system.
c. Expand the “Aquatic Invasive Species Act” to curtail the harmful and costly spread of invasive plants and animals in our waterways.
Want to learn more about how work is done at the capitol? Join us on February 17 for a Legislative Update and Social at the Coalition offices in downtown Missoula. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for details.