CAPITOL MONITOR THE LEGISLATIVE BULLETIN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER Volume 21, Number 1 — January 7, 2015 Your “Insider’s Guide” to the 2015 Legislature elcome to the first issue of MEIC’s Let the Games Begin Capitol Monitor for the 2015 legislative session. As usual, you he 64th Legislature convened W this week, and there are already can expect to receive high-quality and hundreds of bills that have been up-to-date information on the Montana T introduced and nearly 2,000 more that legislative session. are in the drafting process. Dozens We expect this session will be one of of these bills relate to the important the most challenging in MEIC’s 41-year issues that MEIC works on including: history. We hope that by communicating clean water, clean air, land use, promptly and frequently with you—our climate change, energy, and citizens’ members—you will be able to participate right to know and participate in more effectively in our lobbying efforts. government. Unfortunately, many of And—no kidding—we need your help. these bills threaten Montanans’ right Our lobbyists cannot do it alone. Protecting to a clean and healthful environment, the environment this session will require undermine public health and the environment, and attempt to shut everyone’s efforts. So please use the Capitol citizens out of their government. Monitor and our website (www.meic.org) Given the attacks, part of MEIC’s response will be providing our members to become involved. Let’s protect the things with up-to-the-minute information about what’s going on at the Capitol. Our that make Montana special. website will be updated daily so you can follow the bills and issues that you Legislators need to be told over and over care about most. MEIC will also regularly publish Capitol Monitor with the that Montanans want clean air, clean water, most recent information on the important upcoming bills and hearings. To clean energy, and the right to participate in follow the session and read the MEIC Blog, go to www.meic.org/legislature. government decision-making. If they don’t MEIC also invites you to join us during the session to help us lobby during one hear from you, it could be that they will of our Citizen Lobby Days. We will help guide you through the steps you need to only hear from well-heeled, self-interested effectively talk to your legislator about issues that matter to you. Please sign up for lobbyists. It’s your choice. one or all of our citizen lobby days and let us help you protect the environment. They are scheduled for January 27th, February 18th, and March 6th.

A How-to Guide for Engaging During the 2015 Session MEIC Legislative Bill Tracker Capitol Monitor & Blog Calendar of Events MEIC maintains and regularly updates a On MEIC’s website you can find an MEIC and other environmental Legislative Bill Tracker on our website electronic version of Capitol Monitor organizations will hold “lobby days,” (go to www.meic.org/legislature) (go to www.meic.org and look under host legislative socials, and schedule that includes the important legislative “Media Center”), as well as a sign- membership meetings across the proposals that could impact Montana’s up form to receive Capitol Monitor state to provide legislative updates. environment. All of the bills on our bill and other alerts by e-mail. MEIC also MEIC regularly updates its online tracker are categorized by issue, offer maintains a blog (also under “Media events calendar, where you can view an easy-to-understand description, list Center”) that has frequent posts about the details of different events (go to MEIC’s position, and it includes a tool environmental and energy issues www.meic.org and look under “Get for contacting key legislators. affecting Montana, and will include Involved/Attend an Event”). relevant writings on the 2015 Montana legislative session. Proactive Solar Energy Bills a Priority this Session LEADERSHIP OF THE espite the numerous bad bills, an electric utility that serves about 27,000 64TH LEGISLATURE there are a handful of proactive customers in eastern Montana. Officers of the Senate energy bills that MEIC supports. LC 293 - Increases the cap on net D President: Debby Barrett, R-Dillon These are bills that promote distributed metering. Would increase the total renewable energy by expanding a policy cap for net metered systems from 50 President Pro Tempore: Frederick (Eric) called net metering. Net metering allows kilowatts to 1 megawatt. This would Moore, R-Miles City individuals and businesses who install allow for larger businesses, universities, Majority Leader: Matthew Rosendale, a wind, solar, and even micro-hydro public buildings, etc. to offset their R-Glendive systems on their own property to receive energy use by installing larger renewable Majority Whips: Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, credit on their energy bill for the energy energy systems. The current 50 kilowatt , R-Billings their system produces. Renewable cap on net metered systems is becoming energy system owners can only get credit a barrier as more businesses and other Minority Leader: Jon Sesso, D-Butte for the amount of energy their system larger energy users are interested in Minority Whips: Robyn Driscoll, D-Billings, produces up to the amount that offsets reducing their energy bills by installing Tom Facey, D-Missoula their energy use. They can’t get paid for renewable energy systems. any excess energy produced by their LC 294 - Allows for roll-over of Officers of the House of rooftop solar array, small wind turbine, net metering credits. This would allow Representatives or micro-hydro system. individuals to carry forward any credits Speaker: Austin Knudsen, R-Culbertson Montana was one of the first states that they don’t use during the course Speaker Pro Tempore: Lee Randall, to pass a net metering law in 1999. The of a year and use those credits to offset R-Broadus bill had nearly unanimous support from energy use in future months. Currently, the House and the Senate and was the law only allows renewable energy Majority Leader: , R-Kalispell signed into law by Gov. Mark Racicot. system owners to carry forward net Unfortunately, the law hasn’t been metering credits from month to month Majority Whips: Jerry Bennett, R-Libby, changed since then and needs updating. up to one year. At the end of the year, Alan Doane, R-Bloomfield, This legislative session there are several they have to forfeit their credits to , R-Polson, bills to modernize the law. These bills are NorthWestern Energy. Sarah Laszloffy, R-Billings currently in draft form but you can track LC 295 - Allows for aggregate net Minority Leader: , D-Helena them using their “LC” or draft number. metering. Under the current law, each These bill drafts are awaiting sponsors renewable energy system has to have a Minority Caucus Chair: Carolyn Pease- Lopez, D-Billings in the Senate and House. separate meter. This proposal allows farms, LC 291 - Allows for neighborhood universities or multi-unit housing projects Minority Whips: , D- net metering. This bill allows individuals with multiple electric meters on the same Missoula, and businesses to invest in a nearby or adjacent property to be able to run all Margie MacDonald, D-Billings, renewable energy systems that is not those meters and get credit for the energy Jenny Eck, D-Helena necessarily located on their own property. from one renewable energy system. Similar to the current net metering Amidst the bad bills, net metering arrangement, this would allow anyone to provides a potential bright spot in this CAPITOL MONITOR get credit on their energy bill for the share legislative session. Expanding the ability Capitol Monitor is a publication of the of the renewable energy system that they and opportunity for individuals and Montana Environmental Information own. This policy is also called “community businesses to lower their energy bills, Center designed to keep our members solar” or “shared solar” in other states. invest in clean energy, and make their informed about environmental issues LC 292 -Applies net metering to own energy decisions is a win-win for at the . all public utilities. Currently, Montana’s individuals, businesses, and Montana MEIC President: Gary Aitken net metering law only applies to taxpayers. Let’s hope the Legislature MEIC Executive Director: James Jensen NorthWestern Energy. This bill would recognizes these benefits and passes the apply the law to Montana Dakota Utilities, package of net metering bills.

Save this Newsletter P.O. Box 1184, Helena, MT 59624 While the information information in this newsletter will all be available on our Phone (406)443-2520 web site (www.meic.org) it will not all be repeated in future newsletters. Please FAX (406)443-2507 put this issue in some prominent place on your refrigerator or in your “TO DO” [email protected] u www.meic.org pile, so that you can refer to it in the future.

2 Capitol Monitor ~ January 7, 2015 CAPITOL MONITOR

2015 Senate Committees* 2015 House Committees*

Natural Resources Vice Chair: JP Pomnichowski Natural Resources (R-Dillon) Sarah Laszloffy (R-Billings) MWF, 3 pm, Room 303 (D-Bozeman) MWF, 3 pm, Room 172 Secretary: Jessica Riffel, Margie MacDonald Chair: Chas Vincent (R-Libby) Dick Barrett (D-Missoula) Chair: Kerry White 444-2554 (D-Billings) Vice Chair: Rick Ripley (R-Wolf Mary McNally (D-Billings) (R-Bozeman) Local Government (R-Bozeman) (R-Hamilton) Creek) Vice Chair: Tu/Th, 3 pm, Room 172 (R-Kalispell) Nate McConnell (D-Missoula) Vice Chair: Christine Kaufmann (R-Great Falls) Chair: Edward Greef (R-Belgrade) G. Bruce Meyers (R-Box Elder) (D-Helena) Vice Chair: Ed Lieser (R-Florence) (D-Anaconda) Matthew Monforton (R-Colstrip) (D-Whitefish) Vice Chair: Steve Fitzpatrick Secretary: Charlene Devine, (R-Bozeman) John Brenden (R-Scobey) Jerry Bennett (R-Libby) (R-Great Falls) (406) 444-4335 Carolyn Pease-Lopez Pat Connell (R-Hamilton) Bob Brown (R-Thompson Falls) Vice Chair: Kathy Swanson Jennifer Fielder (R-Thompson (D-Bozeman) (D-Billings) Judiciary (D-Anaconda) Zac Perry (D-Bozeman) Falls) M-F, 8 am, Room 303 Virginia Court (D-Billings) Tom Berry (R-Roundup) Andrew Person (D-Bozeman) Bradley Hamlett (D-Cascade) Chair: Scott Sales (R-Bozeman) (D-Helena) (R-Forsyth) Randall Pinocci (R-Sun River) (R-Great Falls) Vice Chair: Jennifer Fielder Kelly Flynn (R-Townsend) (D-Helena) Keith Regier (R-Kalispell) (D-Butte) (R-Thompson Falls) Theresa Manzella (R-Hamilton) (R-Kalispell) Kirk Wagoner (R-Montana Cliff Larsen (D-Missoula) Vice Chair: Nate McConnell(D-Missoula) (D-Bozeman) City) Mike Phillips (D-Bozeman) (D-Missoula) Dale Mortensen (R-Billings) Kathy Kelker (D-Bozeman) Secretary: McKenzie Secretary: Taylor Fridrich, Robyn Driscoll (D-Billings) (R-Bigfork) Debra Lamm (R-Livingston) Chambers, 444-4846 444-4889 Kristin Hansen (R-Havre) (D-Missoula) (R-Kalispell) Keith Regier (R-Kalispell) Energy and (R-Bozeman) Forrest Mandeville Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (R-Sheridan) Telecommunications Doug Kary (R-Billings) (R-Columbus) Tu/Th, 3 pm, Room 152 Scott Staffanson (R-Sidney) Tu/Th, 3 pm, Room 317 Cliff Larsen (D-Missoula) Nate McConnell (D-Missoula) Chair: Kelly Flynn Kathleen Williams Chair: Rober Webb (R-Billings) Mary McNally (D-Billings) Christopher Pope (D-Bozeman) (R-Townsend) (D-Bozeman) Vice Chair: Duane Ankney Mary Sheehy Moe (D-Great (R-Laurel) Vice Chair: Jeffrey Welborn Secretary: Sherri Row, (R-Colstrip) Falls) Tom Richmond (R-Billings) (R-Dillon) 444-4877 Vice Chair: Cliff Larsen Nels Swandal (R-Livingston) Nicholas Schwaderer Vice Chair: Jean Price (D-Missoula) Chas Vincent (R-Libby) Federal Relations, Energy, (R-Superior) (D-Great Falls) (R-Kalispell) Secretary: Pam Schindler, and Telecommunications Tom Steenberg (D-Missoula) Bob Brown (R-Thompson Pat Connell (R-Hamilton) 444-4618 MWF, 3 pm, Room 172 Nancy Wilson (D-Missoula) Falls) Robyn Driscoll (D-Billings) Chair: Mike Lang (R-Malta) Daniel Zolnikov (R-Billings) Zach Brown (D-Bozeman) Fish and Game Secretary: Noah Horan, Rob Cook (R-Conrad) (R-Conrad) Tu/Th, 3 pm, Room 422 Vice Chair: Daniel Zolnikov 444-1863 Virginia Court (D-Billings) Doug Kary (R-Billings) Chair: John Brenden (R-Scobey) (R-Billings) Jim Keane (D-Butte) Vice Chair: Tom Steenberg Clayton Fiscus (R-Billings) Vice Chair: Rick Ripley (R-Wolf Judiciary Stephanie Hess (R-Havre) (R-Bigfork) Creek) (D-Missoula) M-F, 8 am, Room 137 (D-Great Falls) Mary McNally (D-Billings) Vice Chair: Gene Vuckovich Tom Berry (R-Roundup) Chair: Jerry Bennett Ed Lieser (D-Whitefish) Bruce Tutvedt (R-Kalispell) (D-Anaconda) Geraldine Custer (R-Forsyth) (R-Bennett) G. Bruce Meyers (R-Box Elder) (D-Box Tom Facey (D-Missoula) Austin Knudsen Vice Chair: Alan Doane Mark Noland (R-Bigfork) Elder) Jennifer Fielder (R-Thompson (R-Culbertson) (R-Bloomfield) Andrew Person (D-Missoula) Secretary: Barbara Pietuch, Falls) (D-Butte) Vice Chair: Virginia Court Randall Pinocci (R-Sun River) 444-7363 Bradley Hamlett (D-Great Falls) David (Doc) Moore (D-Billings) (R-Missoula) Ray Shaw (R-Sheridan) Local Government Jedediah Hinkle (R-Bozeman) (R-Joliet) Zac Perry (D-Bozeman) Bridget Smith (D-Wolf Point) MWF, 3 pm, Room 405 Phillips, Mike (D-Bozeman) Jenny Eck (D-Helena) Andrew Person (D-Missoula) Kirk Wagoner (R-Montana Chair: Janna Taylor(R-Dayton) Cary Smith (R-Billings) Clayton Fiscus (R-Billings) Randall Pinocci (R-Sun River) City) Vice Chair: Ed Buttrey (R-Great Chas Vincent (R-Libby) Stephanie Hess (R-Havre) Christopher Pope Kerry White (R-Bozeman) Falls) Secretary: Julie Emge, 444-1527 Ellie Boldman Hill (D-Bozeman) (D-Missoula) Secretary: Jennifer *This is only a partial list. Tom Richmond (R-Billings) Kathy Kelker (D-Billings) Peterson, 444-4666 Casey Schreiner (D-Great Falls) *This is only a partial list. How to Contact Your Legislators If you do not know who your legislators are, you can search by zip code on Project Vote Smart’s website: www.votesmart.org

By computer: By telephone: By mail: MEIC will regularly offer ways to con- To leave a message for your legislator tact legislators via our 2015 Legislative or for session information, call (406) P.O. Box 200500 Session page and online bill tracker: 444-4800 between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 Helena, MT 59620 http://meic.org/legislature p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. until adjournment on Saturday. You Montana House of Representatives Some legislators have private e-mail may need to be patient; the line has P.O. Box 200400 accounts listed on the Legislative been understaffed in previous years. Helena, MT 59620 Roster: www.leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/62nd/ roster.asp The Legislative Bulletin of the Montana Environmental Information Center 3 MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL Nonprofit Organization INFORMATION CENTER U.S. Postage PAID Clean & Healthful. It’s your right, our mission. Permit No. 132 P.O. Box 1184 u Helena, MT 59624 Helena, MT

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Send your e-mail address, if we don’t already have it, to Adam McLane: McLane: Adam to it, have already don’t we if address, e-mail your Send

an extra push from citizens speaking out by contacting their legislators. legislators. their contacting by out speaking citizens from push extra an

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Derf Johnson Derf

from the College of Forestry and Conservation. and Forestry of College the from

Left to right: Kyla Maki; Anne Hedges; Jim Jensen; and and Jensen; Jim Hedges; Anne Maki; Kyla right: to Left

obtaining a degree in Wildlife Biology with an emphasis in Political Science Science Political in emphasis an with Biology Wildlife in degree a obtaining

the 2009 session. Kyla graduated from the University of Montana in 2006, 2006, in Montana of University the from graduated Kyla session. 2009 the

ficiency issues. She is beginning her fifth year at MEIC, having lobbied since since lobbied having MEIC, at year fifth her beginning is She issues. ficiency

- ef energy and energy renewable on primarily lobbying be will Maki Kyla

originally hails from Bozeman. Bozeman. from hails originally

the 2011 and 2013 sessions. He is a graduate of the UM School of Law, and and Law, of School UM the of graduate a is He sessions. 2013 and 2011 the

energy issues. He is beginning his third year at MEIC, having lobbied during during lobbied having MEIC, at year third his beginning is He issues. energy

will be lobbying primarily on oil and gas development and and development gas and oil on primarily lobbying be will Johnson Derf

and mining issues at the legislature. the at issues mining and

from the University of Montana (1980). Jim will focus primarily on clean water water clean on primarily focus will Jim (1980). Montana of University the from

Westminster College in Salt Lake City and holds a B.A. in Political Science Science Political in B.A. a holds and City Lake Salt in College Westminster

has been MEIC’s Executive Director since 1985. He attended attended He 1985. since Director Executive MEIC’s been has Jensen Jim

and air quality. quality. air and

MEIC members including energy, land-use planning, environmental policy, policy, environmental planning, land-use energy, including members MEIC L

session since. She handles a wide range of issues that are important to to important are that issues of range wide a handles She since. session

Deputy Director. Anne joined MEIC in May 1993, and has lobbied every every lobbied has and 1993, May in MEIC joined Anne Director. Deputy

, MEIC’s MEIC’s , Hedges Anne is Capitol the at staff lobbying MEIC’s eading

MEIC’s Team at the Capitol the at Team MEIC’s CAPITOL MONITOR CAPITOL