Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Noxious Weed Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee hears wide support for SB167 to add $10 million to Montana’s noxious weed trust
Summary
SB167 would add $10 million to the state's noxious weed trust. County weed coordinators, conservation districts and agriculture groups testified the extra funding is needed to meet rising control costs and to support local grant programs, though senators noted the additional funds would not carry the same constitutional protection as the original corpus.
Senator Hertz introduced Senate Bill 167 to add $10 million to the noxious weed trust. "This bill is just adding $10,000,000 more dollars to our already $10,000,000 noxious weed management trust," Hertz said, noting the appropriation appears in the governor’s budget and addressing rising costs of weed control.
A large group of proponents appeared, including local weed coordinators, conservation-district representatives, county commissioners and several statewide organizations. Dan Rostad of the Boulder River Watershed Association said the trust and grant programs provide essential tools for counties and reservations and for adopting expensive new technologies such as drones for targeted herbicide application. "...this drone carries 10 gallons ... it can identify the weed where it's at. It can take care of that weed," Rostad said, emphasizing cost and access issues for smaller counties.
Dave Burch, a long-time trustee and former program administrator, said another $10 million would increase available grant dollars but noted that unlike the original constitutional corpus the additional $10 million would not necessarily be protected; funds above the constitutionally required $10 million could be appropriated by a simple majority but must be used for noxious-weed management. Jasmine Chaffee, the state noxious weed coordinator, told senators the program’s goal is to hold or reduce statewide infestation and that some species are now managed at the plant-count level, reflecting successful early-detection efforts.
County commissioners and local weed coordinators reiterated that treatment costs and labor have risen sharply and that the trust fund provides scalable grant opportunities across 56 counties and reservations. Questions from the committee clarified that the new dollars would increase the trust principle but would be subject to appropriation by a simple majority; sponsor Hertz said he would seek a due pass. The hearing closed with broad stakeholder support and no formal committee vote.
What’s next: The committee did not take executive action in this session; sponsor requested a due pass and proponents asked for continued support.
