b'2019 State Report Montana MessageMT lenges of the session was a proposal initiated by DEQ Greetings from Montana!These past few months have flown by in a flurryto dismantle the petro board. Much like the song that of activity. We came into the new year busy withwill not end, it was the bill that would not die. The preparations and meetings to be ready for the 66thpetro board is designed to be the mediator between Montana Legislative session and hit the groundthe DEQ and the owner/operator. As you can imagine, running in January. Prior to the session, we beganeliminating the board would have been a major issue working with DEQ on the 2015 EPA rules that lookedfor our members. Prior to the boards creation, DEQ to make changes to a number of issues related to ourran the program and it struggled financially. Today the owner operators. The most pressing was related toboard has a positive balance and continues to use a the low level sup testing methodology that our MTcommon sense approach to be financially responsible DEQ wanted us to utilize. This new standard wouldwith the tax money collected from the people of Mon-have had our locations having to test six inches abovetana. We vigorously opposed this bill with significant the highest penetration point. This did not fall in lineinput from members across the state. with all of the work the PMAA and others had beenWe were able to defeat the efforts to eliminate the working on to help provide an alternative method.board but the large sum of money had drawn a lot of The alternative method would allow us to test just sixattention. The next wave of attack was to take the 5 inches above the sump. Initially MT DEQ was not go- million dollars and we had to defend the board and ing to accept this option. Our executive group reachedmoney five different times. Unfortunately, it was out to other states in regards to how each handles thedetermined behind closed doors during the finance issue, compiled the information, and went back to MTand claims process to allow DEQ to be given 1 mil-DEQ. It was not an easy undertaking but in the endlion from the fund. This process did not allow for any we were able to convince DEQ to accept this alterna- stake holder input. The money is to be used to clean tive option. This was a significant financial win forup releases, but now DEQ has the ability to spend it our MPMCSA members across the state. without the petro board input. We are working to get a This years session was the battle of the taxes for thelegislative audit of the petroleum tank board program MPMCSA. We faced a number of bills proposingto help identify areas of strength and areas of im-local option tax, a plastic bag tax, a straw tax, numer- provement to help ensure that we do not have to fight ous alcohol taxes, and fuel taxes. Tobacco sales werethis issue next session.a hot topic with a number of bills proposing a banThe petro board fight came down to the 11th hour on all flavored tobacco products. MPMCSA workedof the session but fortunately the legislature went closely with DEQ on a number of programs, includ- home and now we are moving on to more enjoyable ing proposed changes to water standards above andbusiness. We enjoyed getting together with all of beyond what EPA requires. One of our biggest chal- our fellow marketers and association partners at our JUNE 2019CONVENTION A GREAT SUCCESS!36www.wpma.com / Summer 2019'