A Bozeman environmental group is challenging the state’s regulation of pollution from storm water runoff because, they say, the state’s standards don’t adequately protect streams from urban runoff.
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper filed a lawsuit in Gallatin County District Court in late December contending that the Montana Department of Environmental Quality erred in how it regulates municipal separate storm water sewer systems. The lawsuit says the current permit system lets cities avoid controlling pollution and violate state water quality standards. It also says the permit system cedes too much regulatory power to cities themselves.