In January, Dave Burch (MDA), Jed Fitch (Beaverhead County Attorney), Scott Bockness (Yellowstone County Weed) and Harold Blattie (MACo) all presented to the Environmental Quality Council a request to have the weed act undergo a legislative review. It has been 25 years or so since the act was put on the books and MWCA, MDA and MACo all felt that it was time to take a hard look at the current weed act and implement some necessary changes. Weed coordinators from across the state responded that there needed be clarification in municipality responsibilities, wording dealing with organic farmers and ranchers, and clarification in dealing with state and federal agencies, and constitutionality among other things. Take a look at the actual letter submitted to EQC.
Council members asked several questions, but given their work load and the fact that they felt the group had already identified areas of revision, they asked Dave Burch with MT Dept of Ag to create a work group to begin addressing the changes in the act. They felt possible legislation could be ready for the next session and then, if a legislative review was warranted, they would consider it.
Dave Burch and MDA will be working to solicit individuals to sit in on this work group based on the criteria in a study bill, which is as follows:
- four members, two from each political party and two from each house, who are legislators appointed to the education and local government interim committee;
- two county commissioners;
- two county weed coordinators;
- the director of the department of agriculture or their designee;
- the director of the department of natural resources or their designee;
- the director of the department of fish, wildlife & parks or their designee; and
- one federal agency representative; and
- one city commissioner, town council member or city or town manager; and
- two county weed board members;
- one county attorney association representative
For more information on the progress and status of this group, please contact Dave Burch at dburch@mt.gov or 444 – 3140 .