GOP takes aim at environmental laws for 2011 session

[NNN0LHI]

http://missoulian.com/news/local/article_6565bbd4-05b3-11e0-984d-001cc4c002e0.html

By MIKE DENNISON Missoulian State Bureau missoulian.com | Posted: Saturday, December 11, 2010 10:43 pm

Editor’s note: This is the third story of an ongoing series this month by the Missoulian State Bureau, examining major issues and themes before the 2011 Legislature, which convenes Jan. 3.

HELENA – As Republicans take the reins of the 2011 Legislature next month, high on their agenda is revising Montana’s energy and environmental laws, to boost natural-resource development and jobs.

“If we are going to have jobs, it will be in natural resources,” says Sen. Debby Barrett, R-Dillon, who chairs the Senate Natural Resources Committee. “I think our committee will be very busy.”

Republican lawmakers, who will have strong majorities in both chambers of the 2011 Legislature, already have requested scores of bills in this arena, targeting everything from the Montana Environmental Policy Act to renewable-energy mandates, which they see as unnecessary.

Many Democrats and the state’s environmental community are bracing for a fight, saying the state’s environmental-protection laws will come under “constant and very serious attack.”

[tabasco]

1. There is no real opposition to the republicans

The country will be destroyed.

[Tesha]

3. I think you've used the wrong tense.

I'm fairly certain the country *WAS* destroyed and I'd mark December 12th,
2010 (ten years ago today!) as the date. But like any large object (like the
Titanic), the fatal blow doesn't become truly apparent for quite some time.
although more and more people are affected as time passes.

Tesha

[PSPS]

2. More and more, I'm mentally substituting "Obaba" for "GOP" in these headlines.

It seems to be becoming more accurate over the last two years.