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Montana DEQ asks legislature for $9.5 million biennial increase, nine new positions
Summary
The Department of Environmental Quality told the Section C appropriations panel it needs a roughly $9.5 million biennial increase over base funding, along with nine new full‑time positions — five of which would affect the general fund — to maintain permitting timelines, respond to litigation and support mining and water programs.
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has asked the Legislature to approve a biennial budget increase of roughly $9.5 million above the agency base and nine new full‑time positions to meet mounting workload demands.
Rob Miller, the Legislative Fiscal Division analyst who opened the department’s budget review, told the Section C appropriations committee the governor’s proposal would raise the agency’s funding above a base of about $67.5 million and produce a year‑to‑year increase of about $4.7 million in fiscal 2026 and $4.8 million in fiscal 2027.
Why it matters: DEQ’s responsibilities include permitting, monitoring and enforcement for air, water, waste and mining programs across Montana. Committee members were shown that the agency’s funding mix is largely state special revenue (about half),…
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