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House approves bill to create state brownfields fund with seed funding
Summary
House Bill 808 would authorize a Montana Brownfields Fund and program; the House approved a one-time $200,000 seed amendment and advanced the bill on second reading 58-42 after debate on staffing and federal funding interactions.
The House advanced House Bill 808, the Montana Brownfields Revitalization Act, which would create state authority and a fund to assess and clean up brownfield properties across Montana and to leverage federal brownfield funding.
Representative Neil Tuss, sponsor, said the bill expands the state’s brownfields authority to mirror how the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) already applies federal brownfield funding and would allow a state fund to help assess and clean up sites that currently deter redevelopment. Tuss said federal brownfields grants can be limited and a state fund would allow Montana to seed projects, leverage federal dollars, and increase the number of sites addressed.
Tuss offered an amendment to seed the program with $200,000 per year for the biennium as one-time funds to the DEQ; the amendment passed on the floor (74-26). Opponents, including Representative Mary Millett, said the bill creates a new state program and will require personnel and administrative resources; Millett said DEQ’s fiscal notes and assumptions indicate additional implementation costs and FTEs may be needed. Supporters including Representative Tom Weber and the sponsor said DEQ already operates a brownfields program and the seed funding would help leverage federal dollars for local economic redevelopment, including tribal communities.
After debate the House voted 58 to 42 to advance HB 808 on second reading. The sponsor closed by emphasizing there are no new FTEs tied directly to the bill text and that declined federal grants may otherwise go to other states if Montana is not prepared to match or leverage funds.
Next steps: House Bill 808 passed second reading and will proceed through the legislative process; the floor amendment creating a $200,000 annual seed for the biennium is part of the bill as amended.
