Governor Greg Gianforte on Monday signed into law a suite of five bills overhauling the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), a move he says will protect the environment while streamlining regulations and providing certainty to Montana’s energy sector and businesses.
Joined at the signing ceremony by House Speaker Brandon Ler (R-Savage), legislators, and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Director Sonja Nowakowski, the governor hailed the legislation as a critical response to recent Montana Supreme Court rulings that he warned could have disrupted energy development and driven up costs.
“Last year, the Montana Supreme Court issued a series of rulings that if left unchecked would have impacted Montana’s energy sector at a time when Americans have seen electricity costs soar nearly 30 percent in the last four years,” Gianforte said. “This package of legislation reduces red tape and provides certainty to small and large businesses across our state.”
Originally passed in 1971, MEPA guides state agencies in assessing and disclosing the environmental impact of proposed projects. The new reforms, according to supporters, clarify the law’s intent and limit its use in litigation that could delay or block development.
Director Nowakowski called the reforms a “very big next step” for DEQ, enabling more productive collaboration with private stakeholders while upholding environmental protections.
Speaker Ler echoed the sentiment, saying the reforms prevent MEPA from being “weaponized.”
“With the signing of this MEPA reform package, we’re making it clear that Montana’s environmental policy is about informed decision-making, not weaponization and litigation,” Ler said.
The legislative package includes:
- House Bill 285, sponsored by Speaker Ler, which reaffirms MEPA’s procedural role, emphasizing its use for information-gathering rather than permit denial.
- House Bill 270, by Rep. Katie Zolnikov (R-Billings), which restricts courts from vacating permits without weighing economic impacts and public interest.
- House Bill 291, from Rep. Greg Oblander (R-Billings), which bars the state from enacting air quality rules stricter than federal standards, except in specific situations.
- House Bill 466, led by Rep. John Fitzpatrick (R-Anaconda), which exempts projects already exempt under the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) from MEPA review.
- Senate Bill 221, introduced by Sen. Wylie Galt (R-Martinsdale), which defines which impacts must be considered in MEPA reviews and directs DEQ to create agency-wide guidance.
“These bills come as part of our shared commitment to reducing red tape, expediting permitting, and making Montana the best place for business,” Gianforte said. “Today stands as an example of what we can do when we work together.”
By: DNU staff