Jeremy Drake writes, "HB 477’s success shows that even in politically divided times, citizens and lawmakers can find common ground if they work together to find solutions."
Alena Flocchini writes, "With last year’s restriction on local government regulating plastics, this statewide regulation is an avenue for cohesive laws across the state."
The ballot initiative to ban single-use plastics in Bozeman approved last month by voters was dealt a blow this week when the Montana Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s decision.
Youpa Stein and Liz Ametsbichler write, "All plastic eventually crumbles into tiny pieces (micro and nano plastics) that have penetrated every corner of the ecosystem – including the food web, the water cycle, and the human body."
A push to place a proposed ban on single-use plastics before Missoula voters this November must raise more than 8,400 signatures over the coming weeks.
A push to get a ban on some plastics on the November ballot could put the City of Missoula in a pinch regarding its new fiscal budget and the cost of the election.