CAPITOL MONITOR THE LEGISLATIVE BULLETIN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER Volume 22, Number 1 — December 21, 2016 Your “Insider’s Guide” to the Legislature, since 1973 elcome to the first issue of MEIC’s Capitol Monitor for the 2017 It’s Going to Be Quite a Session legislative session. As usual, you he post-election news may induce W mental paralysis for many people can expect to receive high-quality and up-to-date information on the session T concerned about environmental protection and public health. Many are from MEIC. asking: what do we do now? We know We expect that this session will be one that action on climate change will stop of the most challenging in MEIC’s 43-year at the federal level as climate liars take history. We hope that by communicating the helm of government and try to undo promptly and frequently with you—our eight years of progress. Despite the fact members—you will be able to participate that some Montana legislators who will more effectively in our lobbying efforts. be serving in the 2017 legislative session And—no kidding—we need your help. will be buoyed by this anti-science, Our lobbyists cannot do it alone. Protecting anti-government, anti-right-to-know the environment this session will require extremism at the federal level, MEIC everyone’s efforts. So please use the Capitol and all environmentalists must face Monitor and our website (www.meic.org) the challenge head on and continue to fight for clean water, clean air, and clean to become involved. Let’s protect the things energy. Montanans want us to do just that make Montana special. that, and many of Montana’s legislators Legislators need to be told over and and Gov. Steve Bullock need our support over that Montanans want clean air, as they try to work in a bipartisan manner clean water, clean energy, and the right to move Montana forward. to participate in government decision- Montana legislators from all across making. If they don’t hear from you, it the state have already requested well could be that they will only hear from over 2,000 bills. Most of those will never well-heeled, self-interested lobbyists. It’s be introduced, but many are intended your choice. Continued on page 2 A How-to Guide for Engaging During the 2017 Session MEIC Legislative Bill Tracker Capitol Monitor and 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 its 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 learn easy-to-understand descriptions, list Center”) that has frequent posts about the details of different events (go to MEIC’s position, and include a tool for environmental and energy issues www.meic.org and look under “Get contacting key legislators. affecting Montana, and will include Involved/Attend an Event”). relevant writings on the 2017 Montana legislative session. to weaken important environmental • sending periodic newsletters LEADERSHIP OF THE protections, for example, so that the updating you on happenings at Smith River mine and new and expanded the Capitol; 65TH LEGISLATURE coal mines can be developed regardless • constantly updating our website Officers of the Senate of their impact on water quality and so you can know day-to-day what President: , R-Bozeman the global climate. Clean energy is a is going on and what you can do; bipartisan issue that lowers electricity President Pro Tempore: , bills and brings much needed revenue to • working with other organizations R-Bigfork to organize citizen lobby days, not communities across the state. MEIC will Majority Leader: Fred Thomas, work on climate change and encouraging only to teach you how to talk to R-Stevensville the transition away from coal, as well legislators, but directing you to what most needs doing on that Majority Whips: , R-Kalispell, as on many other issues such as land Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, use planning, air quality, oil and gas particular day; , R-Billings pollution, protecting constitutional • sending alerts asking for quick Minority Leader: Jon Sesso, D-Butte rights, and much more. action from you, whether it is a MEIC will need the help of all of its telephone call or an e-mail message; Minority Whips: Tom Facey, D-Missoula, members and supporters. We will make JP Pomnichowski, D-Bozeman • letting you know about legislative it easy for you: Officers of the House of hearings you can attend and Representatives testify at (it can feel good to give Speaker: , R-Culbertson MEIC’s Legislative Roadshow! legislators a piece of your mind once in a while); and Speaker Pro Tempore: , MEIC’s legislative roadshow is R-Polson coming to a town near you! Plan • making maximum use of both on attending one of our meetings, traditional and social media to Majority Leader: Ron Ehli, and get the latest information on publicize our issues and concerns. R-Hamilton legislative happenings and how you Majority Whips: , R-Joliet, can make a difference in the 2017 In short, there will be many ways Alan Doane, R-Bloomfield, session! to become involved and help protect , R-Hamilton, , R-Missoula Kalispell, January 5th at 6:30 PM Montana’s environment. Please plan on participating. MEIC and the environment The law office of McGarvey, Minority Leader: Jenny Eck, D-Helena need you now, more than ever. Heberling, Sullivan & Lacey, Minority Caucus Chair: Tom Woods, 345 1st Avenue E. D-Bozeman Helena, January 9th at 7:00 PM Minority Whips: Nate McConnell, D- Lewis and Clark Library, 120 S Missoula, Last Chance Gulch , D-Missoula, Billings, January 11th at 7:00 PM Attend a Lobby Day! Casey Schreiner, D-Great Falls Billings Public Library, 510 N. Broadway MEIC invites you to join us and other Bozeman, January 18th at 7:30 PM environmental interests at one of our CAPITOL MONITOR Bozeman Public Library, 626 E Citizen Lobby Days. We will help guide Main Street you through the steps you need to talk Capitol Monitor is a publication of the Montana Environmental Information Great Falls, January 24th at 6:30 PM effectively to your legislators about Center designed to keep our members Great Falls Public Library, 301 issues that matter to you. Please sign up informed about environmental issues 2nd Avenue N. for a citizen lobby day and let us help you at the . Missoula, January 31st at 7:00 PM protect the environment. Plan to attend MEIC President: Robert Gentry Missoula Public Library, 301 E one or all. The first one will be held on MEIC Executive Director: James Jensen Main Street January 26th.

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

2 Capitol Monitor ~ December 21, 2016 CAPITOL MONITOR

2017 Senate Committees* 2017 House Committees*

Natural Resources (R-Helena) Natural Resources Local Government Theresa Manzella MWF, 3 pm, Room 303 (R-Great Falls) MWF, 3 pm, Room 172 Tu/Th, 3 pm, Room 172 (R-Hamilton) Chair: Chas Vincent (R-Libby) Margie MacDonald (D-Billings) Chair: Kerry White Chair: Edward Greef Nate McConnell (D-Missoula) Vice Chair: Jon Sesso (D-Butte) (R-Bozeman) (R-Florence) Shane Morigeau (D-Missoula) (R-Dillon) Secretary: Jamie Wilson, Vice Chair: Theresa Manzella Vice Chair: Forrest Dale Mortensen (R-Billings) Vice Chair: (406) 444-7363 (R-Hamilton) Mandeville (R-Columbus) Zac Perry (D-Bozeman) (D-East Helena) Vice Chair: Vice Chair: Kathy Swanson (R-Kalispell) Judiciary Lola Sheldon-Galloway (R-Colstrip) M-F, 8 am, Room 303 (D-Bozeman) (D-Anaconda) (R-Great Falls) Dick Barrett (D-Missoula) Chair: (R-Kalispell) (D-Helena) Kim Abbott (D-Missoula) (R-Billings) Pat Connell (R-Hamilton) Vice Chair: Jennifer Fielder Bob Brown (R-Thompson Falls) (D-Livingston) Kirk Wagoner (R-Montana Jennifer Fielder (R-Thompson (R-Thompson Falls) Virginia Court (D-Billings) (D-Butte) City) Falls) Vice Chair: (D-Missoula) (R-Forsyth) Secretary: Sara Fleming, (R-Belgrade) (D-Missoula) Ross Fitzgerald (R-Fairfield) (D-Helena) (406) 444-4709 Mary McNally (D-Billings) (D-Billings) John Fleming (D-St. Ignatius) (D-Whitefish) Mike Phillips (D-Bozeman) Kelly Flynn (R-Townsend) Ross Fitzgerald (R-Fairfield) (R-Wibaux) Fish, Wildlife, and Parks JP Pomnichowski (D-Bozeman) Jedediah Hinkle (R-Bozeman) (R-Martinsdale) (R-Kalispell) Tu/Th, 3 pm, Room 152 Tom Richmond (R-Billings) Margie MacDonald (D-Billings) Steve Gunderson (R-Libby) (R-Bozeman) Chair: Kelly Flynn Secretary: Laura Evilsizer, (406) Mary Sheehy Moe (D-Great Dale Mortensen (R-Billings) Steve Gunderson (R-Libby) (R-Townsend) 444-4610 Falls) (R-Bigfork) (D-Bozeman) Vice Chair: Bob Brown (R-Box Adam Hertz (R-Missoula) Energy and Scott Sales (R-Bozeman) (R-Vice Chair) Elder) (D-Billings) Telecommunications Nels Swandal (R-Livingston) Vice Chair: Bridget Smith Secretary: Lexi Goble, (406) Kathy Kelker (D-Billings) Tu/Th, 3 pm, Room 317 Chas Vincent (R-Libby) (D-Wolf Point) 444-4185 (R-Kalispell) Chair: Duane Ankney Secretary: Pam Schindler, (406) Zach Brown (D-Bozeman) (R-Kalispell) (R-Colstrip) 444-4618 Federal Relations, Energy, Virginia Court (D-Billings) (R-Great Falls) Vice Chair: Pat Connell and Telecommunications Wylie Galt (R-Martinsdale) Fish and Game Barry Usher (R-Billings) (D-Great Falls) (R-Hamilton) Tu/Th, 3 pm, Room 422 MWF, 3 pm, Room 172 Susan Webber (D-Browning) George Kipp III (D-Heart Vice Chair: Cynthia Wolken Chair: Jennifer Fielder Chair: Daniel Zolnikov Daniel Zolnikov (R-Great Butte) (D-Missoula) (R-Thompson Falls) (R-Billings) Falls) (R-Malta) Dick Barrett (D-Missoula) Vice Chair: Jedediah Hinkle Vice Chair: Derek Skees Secretary: Andrew Watne, (R-Saint Regis) Mark Blasdel (R-Kalispell) (R-Belgrade) (R-Kalispell) (406) 444-4467 Jean Price (D-Great Falls) Doug Kary (R-Billings) Vice Chair: Mike Phillips Vice Chair: Denise Hayman Matt Regier (R-Kalispell) Sue Malek (D-Missoula) (D-Bozeman) (D-Bozeman) Judiciary M-F, 8 am, Room 137 Adam Rosendale (R-Billings) Mary McNally (D-Billings) Jill Cohenour (D-East Helena) Laurie Bishop (D-Livingston) Chair: Alan Doane (R-Sheridan) Keith Regier (R-Kalispell) Tom Facey (D-Missoula) Geraldine Custer (R-Forsyth) (R-Bloomfield) Sharon Stewart-Peregoy Tom Richmond (R-Billings) Steve Hinebauch (R-Wibaux) Adam Hertz (R-Missoula) Vice Chair: Seth Berglee (D-Crow Agency) (R-Busby) David Howard (R-Park City) Austin Knudsen (R-Culbertson) (R-Joliet) (R-Billings) (D-Anaconda) Edie McClafferty (D-Butte) Casey Knudsen (R-Malta) Vice Chair: Virginia Court (R-Billings) Secretary: Charlene Devine, Cary Smith (R-Billings) Nate McConnell (D-Missoula) (D-Billings) Kerry White (R-Bozeman) (406) 444-1619 Chas Vincent (R-Libby) Shane Morigeau (D-Missoula) James O’Hara (R-Fort Benton) Laurie Bishop (D-Livingston) Secretary: Jessica Riffel, Local Government Jeffrey Welborn (R-Billings) (D-Missoula) Bob Brown (R-Thompson (406) 444-4877 MWF, 3 pm, Room 405 Secretary: Laura Evilsizer, (406) Zac Perry (D-Hungry Horse) Falls) Chair: Roger Webb (R-Billings) 444-4610 Alan Redfield (R-Livingston) Jenny Eck (D-Helena) Vice Chair: Mike Lang (R-Malta) Adam Rosendale (R-Billings) Bill Harris (R-Winnett) Vice Chair: Gene Vuckovich *This is only a partial list. Sharon Stewart-Peregoy Ellie Boldman Hill (D-Anaconda) *This is only a partial list. (D-Crow Agency) (D-Missoula) Ed Buttrey (R-Great Falls) Secretary: Sydney Kessel, Kathy Kelker (D-Billings) (R-Great Falls) (406) 444-1513 Casey Knudsen (R-Malta)

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 2017 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 MEIC also maintains a list of legislators may need to be patient; the line has P.O. Box 200400 and contact information at: been understaffed in previous years. Helena, MT 59620 http://meic.org/issues/2017- montana-legislature/legislators/

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

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

HANK YOU! HANK T

[email protected]. McLane: Adam to it, have already don’t we if address,

an extra push from citizens scontacting their legislators. Send your e-mail e-mail your Send legislators. their scontacting citizens from push extra an

updates on the bills we’re lobbying, and alerts when important bills need need bills important when alerts and lobbying, we’re bills the on updates

, , Monitor Capitol receive You’ll list. e-Activists our to you add and list

D

We’ll remove your name from our postal mail mail postal our from name your remove We’ll address. e-mail

Send us your your us Send session? this funds much-needed MEIC save and

o you want to save paper, have one less item in your mailbox, mailbox, your in item less one have paper, save to want you o

Save paper and money and paper Save

and playing ultimate frisbee. ultimate playing and

She enjoys spending time with her dog running trails, skiing, skiing, trails, running dog her with time spending enjoys She

School. Her studies are focused in land use law and water law. law. water and law use land in focused are studies Her School.

Nadine is finishing her last year as a student at Vermont Law Law Vermont at student a as year last her finishing is Nadine

Anne Hedges; and Derf Johnson Derf and Hedges; Anne

MEIC’s lobbying team during the 2017 Montana Legislature. Legislature. Montana 2017 the during team lobbying MEIC’s Left to right: Brian Fadie; Jim Jensen; Jensen; Jim Fadie; Brian right: to Left

, MEIC’s Legislative Assistant, will be assisting assisting be will Assistant, Legislative MEIC’s , Nadow Nadine

of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment in 2016. 2016. in Environment and Resources Natural of School Michigan of

and energy efficiency issues. Brian recently started with MEIC, having graduated from the University University the from graduated having MEIC, with started recently Brian issues. efficiency energy and

, MEIC’s Clean Energy Program Director, will be lobbying primarily on renewable energy energy renewable on primarily lobbying be will Director, Program Energy Clean MEIC’s , Fadie Brian

at MEIC. He is a graduate of the UM School of Law. of School UM the of graduate a is He MEIC. at

development, hardrock mining, clean water, and energy issues. He is beginning his sixth year year sixth his beginning is He issues. energy and water, clean mining, hardrock development,

, MEIC’s Water Program Direcotr, will be lobbying primarily on oil and gas gas and oil on primarily lobbying be will Direcotr, Program Water MEIC’s , Johnson Derf

Jim will focus primarily on clean water and mining issues at the legislature. the at issues mining and water clean on primarily focus will Jim

in and holds a B.A. in Political Science from the (1980). (1980). Montana of University the from Science Political in B.A. a holds and City Lake Salt in

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

environmental policy, and air quality. quality. air and policy, environmental L

range of issues that are important to MEIC members including energy, land-use planning, planning, land-use energy, including members MEIC to important are that issues of range

Anne joined MEIC in May 1993, and has lobbied every session since. She handles a wide wide a handles She since. session every lobbied has and 1993, May in MEIC joined Anne

, MEIC’s Deputy Director. Director. Deputy 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