Bill > SB221

This bill revises the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) to provide specific guidance on greenhouse gas assessments during environmental reviews. The bill requires state agencies to conduct a greenhouse gas assessment for proposed actions involving fossil fuel activities, while clarifying that such assessments are informational only and cannot be used to regulate or deny permits. The legislation defines key terms like "fossil fuel activity" (which includes mining coal, drilling for oil or gas, and burning fossil fuels for electricity) and "greenhouse gas emissions" (including carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases). The bill also modifies existing environmental review procedures to ensure that agencies cannot withhold, deny, or impose conditions on permits solely based on MEPA reviews. Additionally, it establishes stricter judicial review standards for challenges to environmental reviews, including requiring that challenges be based only on comments previously submitted to the agency and setting a 60-day time limit for filing such challenges. The bill aims to provide more clarity and limitations on environmental reviews, particularly regarding greenhouse gas assessments, while maintaining the informational purpose of MEPA.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC4171