Montana Department of Environmental Quality Calls for Public Input on the Montana Environmental Policy Act

[Nomad]

Amidst recent developments, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has put out a call for feedback from contractors, developers, and environmentalists in the state. This initiative stems from a summer court ruling addressing greenhouse gas emissions related to energy projects. To facilitate this process, the DEQ has initiated a public comment platform, accessible until December 1, to gather insights on potential revisions to the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), including the evaluation of greenhouse gas emissions in authorized projects and the streamlining of the MEPA protocol.

MEPA was established during the 1970s and the administrative regulations were formulated back to the 1980s, therefore a lot of rergulations are obsolete. Acknowledging this, the DEQ is delving into the past five decades of MEPA's existence and encouraging Montanans to contribute their perspectives on the current relevance of MEPA and its trajectory going forward. To foster this dialogue, a series of both in-person and virtual meetings have been scheduled with the aim of engaging a diverse range of stakeholders.

For more comprehensive information and to actively participate in shaping the future of MEPA, refer to the Western News article.

 

[Debashis]

Montana's move to seek feedback on potential revisions to the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) is a positive step. With regulations dating back several decades, it's crucial to adapt to current environmental concerns. Engaging stakeholders and addressing greenhouse gas emissions in energy projects demonstrates a commitment to environmental responsibility.