Invasive species bills sail through House
Two bills aimed at protecting Montana from aquatic invasive species were passed in the House by unanimous 100-0 votes on Feb. 26 and passed on to the Senate Natural Resources Committee on March 6.
Sponsored by Rep. Mark Nolan, R-Bigfork, and supported by many of the Flathead’s legislators, the two House bills would support the state’s aquatic invasive species program through a trust fund while strengthening the program’s network of check stations that inspect boats, trailers and watercraft. Neither bill requires a fiscal note at this time.
House Bill 525 calls for establishing a trust fund supported by grants, gifts, transfers, bequests or donations.
Funds in excess of the $10 million principal along with interest on the principal will be deposited in an account administered by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, which will disperse grants to local, state or tribal entities for invasive species management.
The grants could be used for education, planning and implementation of programs aimed at preventing, researching, detecting, controlling and, if possible, eradicating aquatic invasive species, including the dreaded zebra mussels.
“Currently, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ budgets limit the season of operation and hours of operation of watercraft check stations, which means that many of the highest risk boats are entering Montana without an AIS inspection,” Flathead Lakers president Greg McCormick testified before the House Natural Resources Committee on Feb. 20. “Additional funding would allow FWP to build a more robust watercraft inspection program.”
House Bill 553 revises existing provisions for checkpoints established around the state by allowing other entities to operate the checkpoints and by providing enforcement.
McCormick testified that the inspection station on U.S. 2 in Coram already is primarily funded by local and federal money.
HB 553 also would allow peace officers to pull over any vehicle that is hauling a boat or watercraft and fails to stop at a check station. A peace officer could order a driver to submit to an inspection by use of a warrant or if the vehicle is stopped within a designated invasive species management area.
“Based on data from FWP, current drive-by rates for watercraft inspection stations range from 10 to 50 percent,” McCormick testified. “This number could be dramatically reduced by the presence and participation of peace officers.”
The bill also calls for the Montana Department of Transportation to utilize ports of entry or adjacent MDT facilities for check stations and to inspect more watercraft.
“MDT currently inspects only commercially hauled boats,” McCormick testified. “This statutory change would permit MDT to inspect non-commercially hauled boats as well.”
McCormick also noted that budget shortfalls prevent FWP from operating inspection station in Eastern Montana year-round.
“Utilizing MDT, a department with a long history of staffing ports of entry, would reduce such staffing issues and increase the season of operation,” McCormick testified.