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Bill

LC 647

Eliminate Board of Environmental Review

2025 Regular Session

Montana bill would disestablish the Board of Environmental Review, eliminating state environmental regulatory oversight and appeals processes without specified replacement mechanisms.

(LC) Draft Died in Process
#environmentalprotection #rulemaking #stategovernment
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Bill Summary · LC 647

Legislative bill overview

LC 647 would eliminate Montana's Board of Environmental Review, a state agency that reviews and provides oversight on environmental compliance matters. The bill appears designed to remove this regulatory body from the state's environmental governance structure, though specific replacement mechanisms or reassignments of its duties are not detailed in the available information.

Why is this important

The Board of Environmental Review currently serves as a check on environmental decisions and handles appeals of environmental permits and policies. Eliminating it would substantially alter how environmental disputes are resolved in Montana and could affect public input opportunities, regulatory consistency, and legal recourse for environmental concerns. This represents a significant shift in state environmental governance infrastructure.

Potential points of contention

  • Regulatory accountability: Removing a dedicated environmental review board may reduce independent oversight of development projects and environmental compliance, raising concerns about regulatory capture or insufficient checks on industrial activities
  • Appeals process: The bill doesn't clarify what mechanism would replace the Board's role in hearing environmental appeals, creating uncertainty about how citizens and businesses would challenge environmental decisions
  • Environmental protection standards: Stakeholders may disagree fundamentally on whether the Board represents necessary environmental protection or unnecessary regulatory burden on business and development

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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