Montana Department of Environmental Quality About Us Permitting & Operator Assistance Public Participation

AML | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking | Comment Period Ends July 03, 2026 | Public Meeting June 29, 2026

  • June 05 2026

The department proposes to adopt these new rules under the authority of Title 75, chapter 1, MCA, which authorize state agencies to identify, by rule, actions that meet the definition of a categorical exclusion and to exempt those actions from the procedural requirements of MEPA when they do not individually, collectively, or cumulatively cause significant adverse effects on the quality of Montana’s environment. In developing this categorical exclusion for certain AML reclamation projects, the department considered the federal categorical exclusion for AML reclamation in Appendix 2, section 13.5(B)(33) of the Department of the Interior’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures (516 DM 1), which identifies a set of constrained AML reclamation activities that have been determined not to be major federal actions requiring preparation of an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS).

Associated Materials

Comment Period Ends: July 03, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

Send/Submit Comments To:

Legal Unit
(406) 444-1388
DEQMAR2026-47@mt.gov

Public Meeting information:

Monday, June 29, 2026 at 10:00 AM
1225 Cedar Street, Helena, Montana

Join Online
Webinar ID: 880 4845 0789
Passcode: 565089

Accommodation statement:

The agency will make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities who wish to participate in this rulemaking process or need an alternative accessible format of this notice. Requests must be made by Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

Contact

Legal Unit
(406) 444-1388
DEQMAR2026-47@mt.gov


Tags: Cleanup, MEPA, Public Comment, Public Meeting and Rule Making