CAPITOL MONITOR THE LEGISLATIVE BULLETIN OF THE MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER Volume 20, Number 1 — January 7, 2013 Your “insider’s guide” to the 2013 Legislature elcome to the first issue of MEIC’s Let the games begin Capitol Monitor for the 2013 hen the Legislature convenes legislative session. As usual, you W on Monday, January 7th, we can expect to receive high-quality and expect to hit the ground up-to-date information on the Montana W running. Most seasoned observers Legislative Session. of the legislative process predict it We expect this session will be one of will be similar to the craziness of the the most challenging in MEIC’s 40-year 2011 Legislative Session. If the bill history. We hope that by communicating draft requests already submitted by promptly and frequently with you—our legislators are any indication, many of members—you will be able to participate our environmental laws, public health more effectively in our lobbying efforts. safeguards, and public participation And—no kidding—we need your help. rights will be on the chopping block. Our lobbyists cannot do it alone. Protecting Last session the governor vetoed many of the worst bills. We expect all of those the environment this session will require vetoed bills to be re-introduced. everyone’s efforts. So please use the Capitol Given the attacks, part of MEIC’s Monitor and our website (www.meic.org) response will be providing our members with up-to-the-minute information to get involved. Let’s protect the things that about what’s going on at the Capitol. Our website will be updated daily so you make Montana special. can follow the bills and issues that you care about most. MEIC will also regularly Legislators need to be told over and over publish Capitol Monitor with the most recent information on the important that Montanans want clean air, clean water, upcoming bills and hearings. To follow the session and read the MEIC Blog, go clean energy, and the right to participate in to www.meic.org. government decision making. If they don’t MEIC also invites you to join us during the session to help us lobby during hear from you, it could be that they will one of our Citizen Lobby Days. We will help guide you through the steps you only hear from well-heeled, self-interested need to effectively talk to your legislator about issues that matter to you. Please lobbyists. It’s your choice. sign up for one or all of our citizen lobby days and let us help you protect the environment. Plan to attend one or all on Jan. 24, Feb. 13, Mar. 8 and Apr. 9. A How-to Guide for Engaging During the 2013 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 and look under (go to www.meic.org and look under host legislative socials, and schedule “2013 Legislature”) that includes the “Media Center”), as well as a sign- membership meetings across the important legislative proposals that up form to receive Capitol Monitor state to provide legislative updates. could impact Montana’s environment. and other alerts by E-mail. MEIC also MEIC regularly updates our online All of the bills on our bill tracker are maintains a blog (go to www.meic.org events calendar, where you can view categorized by issue, offer an easy- and look under “Media Center”) that has the details of different events (go to to-understand description, list MEIC’s frequent posts about environmental www.meic.org and look under “Get position, and it includes a tool for and energy issues affecting Montana, Involved/Attend an Event”). contacting key legislators. and will include relevant writings on the 2013 Montana Legislative Session. An Advance Peek at the Issues LEADERSHIP OF THE Here are some of the environmental issues likely to be raised this session. 63RD LEGISLATURE CONSTITUTION AND MEPA. We can acquire 15% of their energy from new Officers of the Senate renewable resources by 2015. For example, expect numerous attacks on our President: Jeff Essmann, R-Billings constitutional right to a clean and SB 31 (Sen. Debbie Barrett, R-Dillon), would healthful environment, and our right subvert the renewable energy standard by President Pro Tempore: Debby Barrett, R-Dillon to hold government agencies and large allowing all existing hydropower from corporations accountable when they large dams to be counted as an eligible Majority Leader: Art Wittich, R-Bozeman fail to comply with public health and renewable resource. That would threaten Majority Whips: Eric Moore, R-Miles City environmental laws. In addition, there the feasibility of new renewable energy Janna Taylor, R-Dayton are almost a dozen bills requested to projects. Llew Jones, R-Conrad There will also be attempts to change change the Montana Environmental Minority Leader: Jon Sesso, D-Butte Policy Act – again! policies that promote energy efficiency One bill that has already finished the and energy conservation. Some positive Minority Whip: Robyn Driscoll, D-Billings drafting stage and has been introduced changes may include increasing energy Cliff Larsen, D-Missoula is SB 17 (Sen. Jason Priest, R-Red Lodge). It efficiency tax credits for homeowners and Officers of the House of would amend the Montana Constitution businesses. However, a negative proposed Representatives to say everyone has the right to “use” change includes SB 74 (Sen. Jason Speaker: Mark Blasdel, R-Somers their property. This language sounds Priest, R-Red Lodge), which undermines a lot like “takings” proposals that have Montana’s Universal System Benefits (USB) Speaker Pro Tempore: Austin Knudsen, R-Culbertson been defeated in previous sessions. It program. USB is a crucial funding source appears that this language is intended for low income weatherization, energy Majority Leader: Gordon Vance, to provide people with a constitutional efficiency, and smaller scale renewable R-Bozeman right to use their property, regardless energy projects. Majority Whips: Mike Cuffe, R-Eureka of how it might impact their neighbors. Cary Smith, R-Billings OIL AND GAS. There are several bill If that is not his goal than his proposed Jeffrey Welborn, R-Dillon requests to end or significantly alter the amendment is meaningless as the Christy Clark, R-Choteau oil and gas “tax holiday”, a tax break for Montana Constitution already provides newly producing oil and gas wells for up Minority Leader: Chuck Hunter, D-Helena a right to acquire, possess, and protect to the first 18 months of production. It Minority Caucus Chair: Bryce Bennett, property. was originally put in place to incentivize D-Missoula RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY new oil and gas development. With Minority Whips: Margaret MacDonald, CONSERVATION. There will be attempts the recent and rapid increase in the D-Billings during this legislature to roll back the few development of oil and gas in Montana, Edie McClafferty, D-Butte policies that support a clean energy future mostly due to hydraulic fracturing and in Montana. These rollbacks include horizontal drilling, it is obvious that undermining the state Renewable Energy incentives are not necessary. CAPITOL MONITOR Standard that requires public utilities to Capitol Monitor is a publication of the Montana Environmental Information Center designed to keep our members Save this Newsletter informed about environmental issues at the Montana legislature. This issue of Capitol Monitor includes lists of committee assignments and information about how to contact legislators. While this information will all be MEIC President: Roger Sullivan available on our web site (www.meic.org) it will not all be repeated in future MEIC Executive Director: James Jensen newsletters. Please put this issue in some prominent place on your refrigerator or in your “TO DO” pile so that you can refer to it in the future. And thank YOU for your support! P.O. Box 1184, Helena, MT 59624 MEIC could not do any of its work without your support—helping with our lob- Phone (406)443-2520 bying efforts, paying your membership dues, and making special contributions FAX (406)443-2507 in addition to buying Montana Futures Raffle tickets. Thank you! [email protected] u www.meic.org 2 Capitol Monitor ~ January 3, 2013 CAPITOL MONITOR 2013 Senate Committees* 2013 House Committees* NATURAL RESOURCES Shannon Augare (D-Browning) NATURAL RESOURCES 444-9280 David Halvorson (R-Sidney) MWF, 3 pm, Room 422 Dick Barrett (D-Missoula) MWF, 3 pm, Room 472 Secretary: Molly Ellie Boldman Hill Chair: Chas Vincent (R-Libby) Scott Boulanger (R-Darby) Chair: Jerry Bennett (R-Libby) Miltenberger, (D-Missoula) Vice Chair: John Brenden Sue Malek (D-Missoula) Vice Chair: Pat Connell 444-4264 Sarah Laszloffy (R-Laurel) (R-Scobey) Alan Olson (R-Roundup) (R-Hamilton) Dennis Lenz (R-Billings) Debby Barrett (R-Dillon) Bruce Tutvedt (R-Kalispell) Vice Chair: Virginia Court LOCAL GOVERNMENT Ryan Lynch (D-Butte) Jennifer Fielder (R-Thompson Falls) Gene Vuckovich (D-Anaconda) (D-Billings) Tu/Th, 3 pm, Room 172 Jerry O’Neill (R-Columbia Falls) Brad Hamlett (D-Cascade) Staff: Leanne Kurtz, 444-3593 Alan Doane (R-Bloomfield) Chair: Liz Bangerter Carolyn Pease-Lopez (D-Billings) Verdell Jackson (R-Kalispell) Secretary: Charlene Devine, Jenny Eck (D-Helena) (R-Helena) Keith Regier (R-Kalispell) Christine Kaufmann (D-Helena) 444-4610 Steve Fitzpatrick (R-Great Vice Chair: Steve Fitzpatrick Bridget Smith (D-Wolf Point) Jim