Environmental Quailty Council to Hear Natural-Resource Legislative Proposals

The Environmental Quality Council (EQC) of the Montana Legislature will meet in Helena July 14-15 to learn about legislative proposals that the state Departments of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) are considering bringing to the 2009 legislative session.

The council's Agency Oversight Subcommittee will meet at 9 a.m. Monday in Room 102 of the State Capitol. The full council will convene at the same location at 1 p.m. Agendas for the meetings are available online at http://www.leg.mt.gov/eqc

The council also will continue a discussion of climate change and will review public comment on a draft report entitled "Trust Land Management: An Analysis of Conservation Easements and Other Uses of State Trust Land."

Also on the agenda are:

• A report on "land banking;" 
• An update on a performance audit of DEQ; 
• A report on an in-stream flow program; and 
• A review of the state water adjudication process.

For more information about the EQC, visit http://www.leg.mt.gov/eqc or call the Legislative Environmental Policy Office at 406-444-3742.