LEG I SLATIVE DOINGS 



The 1967 legislative session is now history* 



Conservancy Legislation 



Bills of concern to Soil and Water Conserva- 

 tion Districts dealing with Conservancy type 

 legislation were SB 6, called the Water Conser- 

 vancy Act, HB 287 and SB 55 amending the County 

 Water District Law, and HB 144 amending the 

 Municipal and County Flood Control Law. These 

 bills provided for multiple-purpose water devel- 

 opments. SB 55 and HB 144 were passed, while 

 SB 5 and HB 287 were defeated. This legislation 

 will help greatly in providing a less cumbersome 

 means of setting up a legal organization to con- 

 struct, maintain, and finance P. L. 566 watershed 

 projects. The legislation provides for such 

 purposes as flood control, irrigation, recreation 

 and wildlife, municipal or industrial water 

 supply, domestic water, pollution abatement. 



Montana Water Resoufces Act 



Legislation was passed changing the name of 

 the Water Conservation Board to Water Resources 

 Board and giving this board the responsibility 

 for develoiJirig a water plan for the state of 

 Montana. 



Water Board 



A total of $2,863,900 was appropriated to 

 the Water Board. $488,000 is to apply on cou- ' 

 struction of the Willow Creek project in 

 Valley County; $295,000 for planning of Tongue 

 River Dam. Othep activities of the Water Board 

 for which funds were allowed are gtotfltf vater 

 control, Columbia River Ba«ia Commission, water 

 resources survey, state-wide ultimate needs 

 study, state water plan, weather modification 

 program, and Missouri River Basin Commi'sslon,, 



Urban Representation 



HB 135 was passed which provides that munici- 

 palities may petition into a Soil and Water Con- 

 servation District, and also provides for two 

 urban representatives on a seven man board of 

 supervisors. Soil and Water Conservation Dis- 

 tricts had been criticized for not representing 

 all the people in developing its conservation 

 programs. Since conservation is everyone 'd con- 

 cern and many district programs benefit urban 

 areas and people, it seems logical that urban 

 representation should be provided. Miinicipali- 

 ties will need to go through the regular pro- 

 cedure as for any other addition to a Soil and 

 Water Conservation District. 



Watershed Planning Funds 



Water Rights 



SB 138 was introduced relating to defining 

 beneficial purposes for which water may be 

 appropriated; HB 513 was Introduced providing 

 for the regulation and supervision of the 

 utilization, development, and conservatiou of 

 Montana's water resources. These bills were 

 not passed. However, they have some merit, 

 and should be studied for future action as an 

 indication of things to come. 



Coal Strip Mining 



Legislation was passed reqtiiring that an 

 approved reclamation plan be follwed by strip 

 coal mining operators, this plan to be devel- 

 oped by Montana Tech. 



A $100,000 appropriation for the biennium was 

 made for watershed planning. Tliis is half of 

 what was requested, but will help substantially 

 to supplement Soil Conservation Service Water- 

 shed Party in planning the big backlog of water- 

 shed applications. 



State Soil Conservation Committee Administrative 

 Budget 



Additional funds were provided to employ a 

 full time office secretary. 



No salary increase was allowed for the 

 Executive Secretary. 



Department of Natural Resotircas 



Consideration was again given by the legis- 

 lature to the creation of a Department of 

 Natural Resources. SB 250, which was defeated, 

 would have put several state agencies in this 

 department under the Commissioner of Agricul* 

 ture. 



Resource Development Ftmd for State Landa 



HB 314 was passed which will provide for 

 setting aside of up to 5% of collections on 

 state lands to invest in resource developments 

 on state lands and thus increase the revenue 

 from state owned lands. 



