House Bill 69 revises the fee structure for hard rock and rock products mining in Montana, introducing a tiered system for various permits and applications. Key changes include an annual small miner administrative fee of $100, a late reporting fee of $100, and an exploration license renewal fee ranging from $100 to $400 based on activity type. The operating permit application fee is set at $5,000, with a reduced fee of $500 for those primarily mining rock products. Additionally, the bill establishes a hard-rock mining permitting program account to collect these fees, which will be used for the administration and enforcement of mining regulations.

The bill also amends existing laws to enhance regulatory oversight and environmental protection. It replaces the previous basic permit fee of $500 with a tiered structure based on the size of the mining operation, with annual fees ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. It introduces specific requirements for small miners regarding reclamation and reporting, including the submission of written agreements to avoid pollution and reclamation maps. Furthermore, the bill outlines conditions for permit denial and specifies that applications resulting in minimal land disturbance will not require an environmental review. The provisions of this act are set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_1(1): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_1(2): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_1(3): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_1(4): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_1(5): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_1(6): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_1(7): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_1: 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_X(1): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_X(2): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_X(3): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_X(4): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_X(5): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_X(6): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_X(7): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_X(8): 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343
HB0069_X: 82-4-305, 82-4-311, 82-4-331, 82-4-332, 82-4-335, 82-4-339, 82-4-342, 82-4-343