Published August 22, 2008

By JOHN S. ADAMS
Great Falls Tribune Capitol Bureau

HELENA — Thirteen of the state's top conservation and environmental groups believe the legislative Environmental Quality Council's 11 draft recommendations on climate change don't go far enough to address the problem.

In a letter sent to the council Thursday, the groups said the EQC's recommendations ignore the most urgent of the 54 recommendations made by the Governor's Climate Change Advisory Committee.

"While we support almost any meaningful approach to reducing greenhouse gases in Montana ... we are profoundly disappointed by the limited number and scope of solutions proposed by the EQC," the letter states.

"We think there were many things that the EQC could have chosen to put in the report that would have had a net reduction in carbon emissions without costing the state, and would have benefitted the state economy," said Theresa Keaveny of the Montana Conservation voters, one of 13 signatories of the letter.

The public comment period for the 11 draft recommendations ends today.

The debate over climate change — and what state government should do about it — has drawn sharp lines between Democrats and Republicans on the EQC. Many Democrats on the council wanted to submit a legislative package that would have taken steps toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Some Republicans said such mandates would create an undue economic burden for the state.

Last winter, the EQC asked the public to take part in a survey on the advisory committee's 54 recommendations, which members of the EQC then whittled down to 11 and drafted legislation to implement them.

The EQC proposals deal with recycling, local food production, reporting on conservation measures and creating a state weatherization account, to name a few. Critics argue that none of the recommendations deal directly with climate change.

"We question why industry and major energy producers have been given no role or obligation in addressing the climate change problem," the letter states.

Commission Chairman Sen. Dave Wanzenried, D-Missoula, said the current set of recommendations is the sum of what lawmakers from both sides of the aisle could agree upon.

"The EQC is comprised of members of both parties and members of the public that bring their own set of values and outlooks about climate change. Within the last year, we spent upwards of over 100 hours in discussions about the Governor's Climate Change Advisory Council and have systematically gone about trying to incorporate them into a legislative package," Wanzenried said. "Everything has required a vote to move forward, and we've moved as many of those items along that we have been able to, given the makeup of the council. Personally, I am not satisfied that we have gone far enough."

The EQC's last meeting of the interim is Sept. 8-9 in Helena. Wanzenried said it's unlikely that the panel will add any additional recommendations to its legislative climate change package at that time.

Keaveny said the panel should take public comment seriously.

"We appreciate that we have been given an opportunity by Sen. Wanzenried and the EQC to comment," Keaveny said. "We would like them to take our comments seriously as they go into their next meeting. If they do, we should see a remarkably different EQC recommendation."

The EQC's debate on the climate change recommendations highlighted the varying degrees to which lawmakers believe man-made greenhouse gases are having a detrimental impact on the planet by warming the earth's atmosphere.

Rep. Chas Vincent, R-Libby, is one council member who is not convinced that climate change is a man-made problem that lawmakers ought to address.

"I believe that the science is not resolved," Vincent said. "And there's a growing body of evidence that shows there are many things that factor into climate change. Do I agree that there is climate change happening? Yes. Do I believe man is the indicator? No."

Vincent said he's not surprised that environmental groups aren't happy with the recommendations, but added that until there's a more thorough economic analysis done on the remaining advisory committee recommendations, he is not willing to support additional climate change-related legislation.

"My fear is that, in a lot of these recommendations, the policy will outrun the sciences and technology," Vincent said. "Until there's more scrutiny paid to the potential unintended consequences and adverse impacts to the everyday lives of Montanans, these policy decisions need more discussion."

Wanzenried said any legislator is welcome to pursue legislation based on any one of the 54 advisory council recommendations during the upcoming session.

"The letter seems to send out a signal that there's more work to be done," Wanzenried said. "Many of us on the council agree with that."

Groups that signed the letter:

Environmental and conservation groups that signed the letter:

·  Alternative Energy Resources Organization, Ben Brouwer, Renewable Energy & Conservation Program manager

·  Clark Fork Coalition, Garrett James Budds, conservation director and staff attorney

·  Good Works Ventures, LLC, Mary Stranahan

·  Montana Audubon, Janet Ellis, program director

·  Montana Conservation Voters, Theresa Keaveny, executive director

·  Montana Environmental Information Center, Anne Hedges, program director

·  National Wildlife Federation, Tom France, regional executive director

·  National Center for Appropriate Technology, Kathy Hadley, executive director

·  Northern Plains Resource Council, Beth Kaeding, chairwoman of the board of directors

·  Sierra Club, Paul H. Shively, senior regional representative, Great Plains

·  Sustainable Obtainable Solutions, Gloria Flora, executive director

·  The Policy Institute, Bob Decker, executive director

·  Western Organization of Resource Councils, Peggy Utesch, chair woman of the Responsible Energy Development Campaign Team