{"data":{"id":"us-mt/85-1-704","jurisdiction":"us-mt","citation":"85-1-704","heading":"Prioritization of water storage projects -- governor's report.","body":"(1) The governor shall submit to the legislature a report in accordance with 5-11-210 identifying specific water storage projects proposed for development, including the rehabilitation of existing projects and new project proposals. The report must contain:\n(a) a list of water storage project priorities;\n(b) an implementation strategy for each priority project that identifies the resources (including specific budget requests), government actions, and other actions needed to accomplish the project; and\n(c) a progress report on the development of water storage projects during the previous 2 years.\n(2) In setting priorities among new water storage projects, the governor shall consider whether a project:\n(a) solves a severe water problem;\n(b) provides multiple uses and benefits;\n(c) provides for public uses;\n(d) shows strong evidence of broad citizen support;\n(e) is able to obtain nonstate sources of funding;\n(f) protects and seeks to enhance social, ecological, cultural, and aesthetic values;\n(g) improves local and state economic development;\n(h) could resolve Indian and federal reserved water rights issues;\n(i) supports water conservation activities; and\n(j) promotes the use of water reserved under Montana law.\n(3) In setting priorities among water storage rehabilitation projects, the governor shall consider whether the project:\n(a) is needed to protect public safety;\n(b) has impacts if not repaired or rehabilitated; and\n(c) accomplishes the goals listed in subsections (2)(a) through (2)(j).\n(4) In establishing budget priorities for the allocation of state water storage development funds:\n(a) first preference must be given to projects that resolve threats to life and property posed by high-hazard facilities that are in an unsafe condition;\n(b) second preference must be given to projects that improve or expand existing water storage facilities; and\n(c) third preference must be given to the planning and construction of new water storage facilities.","path":["TITLE 85. WATER USE","CHAPTER 1. WATER RESOURCES","Part 7. Water Storage Policy"],"source_url":"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0850/chapter_0010/part_0070/section_0040/0850-0010-0070-0040.html","current_through":"Montana Code Annotated 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T05:01:13Z","sha256":"7a658ffd411ac904fbcd1b379dce9cd090b8bfc12ad6a727c9b3596ce6c2abbe","source_id":"us-mt","stale":false,"prev":"us-mt/85-1-703","next":"us-mt/85-1-801"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}