The bill amends Section 75-5-702 of the Montana Code Annotated, revising the deadline for the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to review data submitted for water quality assessments. The previous requirement for the DEQ to review this data within 60 days of its submission has been removed, allowing for a more flexible timeline. The bill maintains the requirement for the DEQ to provide public notice and allow for public comment on any intended actions regarding the addition or removal of water bodies from the list of threatened or impaired waters.

Additionally, the bill emphasizes the importance of using credible data from various sources, including federal, state, and local agencies, as well as private entities, in the assessment process. It also outlines the DEQ's responsibilities in consulting with local conservation districts and watershed advisory groups to revise the list of water bodies and establish priority rankings for Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) development. The establishment of a statewide TMDL advisory group is also mandated to ensure diverse stakeholder representation in the decision-making process related to water quality management.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 75-5-702
HB0684_1(1): 75-5-702
HB0684_1(2): 75-5-702
HB0684_1(3): 75-5-702
HB0684_1(4): 75-5-702
HB0684_1(5): 75-5-702
HB0684_1(6): 75-5-702
HB0684_1(7): 75-5-702
HB0684_1(8): 75-5-702
HB0684_1: 75-5-702
HB0684_2(1): 75-5-702
HB0684_2(10): 75-5-702
HB0684_2(11): 75-5-702
HB0684_2(2): 75-5-702
HB0684_2(3): 75-5-702
HB0684_2(4): 75-5-702
HB0684_2(5): 75-5-702
HB0684_2(6): 75-5-702
HB0684_2(7): 75-5-702
HB0684_2(8): 75-5-702
HB0684_2(9): 75-5-702
HB0684_2: 75-5-702
HB0684_X(1): 75-5-702
HB0684_X(10): 75-5-702
HB0684_X(11): 75-5-702
HB0684_X(12): 75-5-702
HB0684_X(13): 75-5-702
HB0684_X(2): 75-5-702
HB0684_X(3): 75-5-702
HB0684_X(4): 75-5-702
HB0684_X(5): 75-5-702
HB0684_X(6): 75-5-702
HB0684_X(7): 75-5-702
HB0684_X(8): 75-5-702
HB0684_X(9): 75-5-702
HB0684_X: 75-5-702