SCROLL DOWN FOR CURRENT ACTION ALERTS -- WHO TO CALL + WHAT TO SAY -- THANK YOU!
The 2023 Montana Legislative Session affects our climate, clean energy, constitution, and more. Your voice matters! 
We don't have a lobbyist but we have partner groups that are in Helena day in and day out. We follow their lead, lending our voice when it matters most. So what can you do?

  1. Engage with MEIC and others (scroll down)
  2. Respond to action alerts, via our eNewsletter (sign up HERE!) or the links below. There are times where adding our voices can really help defeat a bad bill or pass a good one.
  3. Be inspired with or join rallies at the Capitol - check in with MEIC or Montana Conservation Voters.
  4. TAKE ACTION on the bills below​ ​

Current Action Alerts

The links below will take you to Montana Environmental Information Center’s website where you can read more and comment via their action center. (Thank you MEIC!) You can also reach your senator, representative, or particular committees directly by phone or email - see sidebar at the right.
NO on HB 971: Repeal MEPA under certain circumstances in the MT Supreme Court
The Republicans suspended the rules to introduce this bill a month after deadline. This bill effectively bans consideration of climate impacts and guts MEPA. It exempts MT DEQ from analyzing environmental, cultural and economic impacts of mining, air, and oils & gas projects.  Read more HERE.  Or visit MEIC's info page HERE. 

This bill is moving quickly through the House. We, along with partners, hope to bring people to Helena to voice opposition.  STAY TUNED.  Thanks to all who have taken action! 

A great Legislative Day of Climate Action - Jan 20th

Over 400 people came to Helena for a fantastic rally! Partners came together for a collective climate action day at the Capitol. Thanks to our Board member Gwen Lankford for sharing her wisdom. This Missoulian piece is great: Advocates rally for climate action at the Capitol.

NO on SB 557: Weaken MEPA and impose a "pay to play" system
Another bill to gut MEPA and restrict access to our justice system. Learn more and take action HERE.​

No on HB 241: Protect solar energy and local control
Last year, the state adopted updated building codes including a voluntary stretch code that jurisdictions can implement to incentivize development with an eye to making future solar projects cheaper and more efficient (aka “solar-ready”). This bill would ban solar-ready stretch codes and undermine local control.

Bills that have passed and are on the way to the Governor's desk

SB 208: Prohibit local governments from banning or limiting energy choices​
This "ban on bans" bill prevents state building code from including any language that prohibits or limits the use of any energy resources AND would deny local governments power to “prohibit or impede the connection” of any fossil fuel infrastructure, preventing cities and counties from implementing energy stretch codes or regulations.  
SB 228: Prohibit local governments from banning petroleum fuels
In another attack on local control, local governments would be forced to allow methane gas power plants, petroleum refineries, pipelines & other fossil fuel infrastructure in their communities. The bill even appears to prevent local government from mitigating the impact of these facilities. 
SB 109: PSC Redistricting
This bill would create new gerrymandered PSC districts based on ideology and not common sense. It splits Missoula in 2! It's ridiculous.
HB 220: New energy planning committee
This bill would undermine a 2019 law and the recent rules adopted by the Public Service Commission (PSC) that greatly improve the resource planning process and bring more transparency to the process acquiring more energy generation resources (e.g., power plants).
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How to Participate and Advocate

The MT Legislature's website:  Get to know it and use the "Have Your Say" button to easily testify or comment. 
Key things to know:
  • You can still testify virtually! You do have to register by 5 pm the day before. 
  • ​You can call the Capitol at 406-444-4800 and request to leave messages for the committee members or an individual legislator. Leave a message Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (8 a.m. until adjournment on Saturdays).
  • Not sure who your representative is? Look them up HERE. ​
  • You can send an email.  Write to a committee or individual legislator via the online form below.

Bills that are (probably) dead

NO on HB 524: Don't Burden Solar & Installers
This bill would require solar installers to provide customers with tedious information disclosures about manufacturing origins that have not been requested. It's an obvious effort to stymie solar businesses and would undermine our freedom to generate our own clean, affordable energy and unfairly singles out solar.
THANK YOU to those who submitted comments and helped kill this onerous and unnecessary bill!
More ways to connect, act, & add your voice
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​MEIC: The Montana Environmental Information Center is amazing in all they do! 
At the legislature everyday, they've been at this for decades.  ​
  • Sign up for their e-alerts HERE.
  • Their 2023 Legislature page + bill tracker are good to keep bookmarked. Seriously, their Bill Tracker is targeted, simple to use, and amazing. Not all will be climate and energy focused - but it's easy to find what interests you.  
  • ​MEIC hosts information sessions every Thursday at 4:30pm through April to make sure you are prepared to participate and know what' bills need our input. If you get their e-alerts, you'll get an invitation or simply click this link every Thursday at 4:30.
More generally, if you care about our constitution and democracy:

  • The folks at Montana Free Press are tracking the entire legislature every day. Check them out and sign up for their free Capitolized newsletter.
  • Forward Montana has a weekly guide to what's happening - sign up for What the Helena!

Write a Letter to the Editor
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Snow folks for climate action!
Connect with these Partners
THE FATE OF THESE BILLS HAS BEEN DETERMINED:

We OPPOSED HB 643: Keep Solar!
Update 2/28: This bill has been tabled! This is a big win. Thank you to all who spoke up!
This bill would require the PSC to create a separate new “rate class” for solar customers, which could result in higher energy rates and new fees for homes and businesses that own solar. It also directs the PSC to conduct a study that ignores the benefits of rooftop solar to Montana's grid, forcing the PSC to only consider the costs to utility corporations. We believe Montanans should not be punished for generating their own clean energy.  This bill is unfair to net metered customers and a big slide backward.
We SUPPORTED  SB 147: Support creation of state energy conservation standards (Tabled 1/25)
If passed, this bill would incentivize conservation and energy efficiency programs, and ensure that utilities are doing all they can to consider conservation and energy efficiency investments.
We OPPOSED SB 97: protect renewable energy projects from a 500% tax on production (Tabled 1/25)
This bill would disincentivize the development of large wind projects in Montana and would be a huge setback to efforts to decarbonize our state’s electricity supply.
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Photo credit: Tim Spangler
Testifying for a healthy climate

Solar Jobs Rally in Helena, 2017