Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Natural Resources Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee extends Natural Resources Operations sunset to 2029 to keep mining permitting funded
Summary
Senate Finance and Claims advanced SB 71, which extends the Natural Resources Operations account sunset through fiscal 2029 to continue funding DEQ mining permitting and related DNRC programs while new mining fees are evaluated.
Senator Josh Kasmier introduced Senate Bill 71 to extend the sunset date for funding the Natural Resources Operations (NRO) account through fiscal year 2029 so the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and other agencies can continue mining permitting and oversight. Sponsor Kasmier said the extension is a short-term measure aimed at preserving program continuity while policy changes are finalized.
Sonya Nowakowski, director of the Department of Environmental Quality, told the committee the extension is needed because the NRO has required general-fund backfill and the agency has been working with industry on a set of proposed mining fees expected in House Bill 69. "This funding is critical to paying for our mining programs at DEQ as well as supporting DNRC and the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology," Nowakowski said, adding officials need two biennia to see whether the new fees will sustainably replace the general‑fund backfill.
Erin Weisgerber, deputy director of the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, said DNRC receives about $1,100,000 annually from the NRO account to support programs including resource development, urban and community forestry, water resources operations, and legal and fiscal functions. Weisgerber said without a temporary extension the account may not be able to support these programs across the state.
Committee members asked clarifying questions of agency staff and the budget office about the fiscal note and the timeline for any fee legislation. The DEQ and DNRC witnesses said they prefer a temporary extension to prevent program disruption while the fee package is developed and implemented.
In executive action the committee moved to pass SB 71; the chair announced SB 71 passed Senate Finance and Claims and the bill will proceed in the legislative process.
