House Bill 664 seeks to revise Montana's water quality standards by eliminating numeric nutrient standards and replacing them with narrative nutrient standards. The bill mandates the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to amend existing administrative rules to remove all references to numeric nutrient standards, including the repeal of department circular DEQ-12A, which established these standards. Additionally, the bill repeals the Nutrient Work Group, which was previously responsible for advising on nutrient standards and their economic impacts, indicating a significant shift away from the burdensome numeric approach for municipal wastewater treatment systems.

Furthermore, the bill amends Section 75-5-103 of the Montana Code Annotated to update definitions related to water quality and nutrient standards, specifically deleting the definition of the Nutrient Work Group. This reflects the legislative intent to streamline the regulatory framework surrounding nutrient management in the state. The bill also grants the DEQ rulemaking authority to establish new guidelines for nutrient management, aiming to enhance the department's effectiveness in managing water quality. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage, facilitating a swift transition to the new narrative standards.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 75-5-103
HB0664_1(1): 75-5-103
HB0664_1(10): 75-5-103
HB0664_1(11): 75-5-103
HB0664_1(12): 75-5-103
HB0664_1(2): 75-5-103
HB0664_1(3): 75-5-103
HB0664_1(4): 75-5-103
HB0664_1(5): 75-5-103
HB0664_1(6): 75-5-103
HB0664_1(7): 75-5-103
HB0664_1(8): 75-5-103
HB0664_1(9): 75-5-103
HB0664_1: 75-5-103
HB0664_X(1): 75-5-103
HB0664_X(2): 75-5-103
HB0664_X(3): 75-5-103
HB0664_X(4): 75-5-103
HB0664_X(5): 75-5-103
HB0664_X(6): 75-5-103
HB0664_X(7): 75-5-103
HB0664_X(8): 75-5-103
HB0664_X: 75-5-103