Could legislation provide guidance into exempt well permitting?

By MORGAN GARRISON
Jul 10, 2026
1 hr ago

Exempt wells — The subject of exempt well allocation in Montana continues to be an important topic with some stakeholders maintaining the process can be managed with a legislative solution.

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By MORGAN GARRISON

Montana is a big state. It has big, wide-open spaces, big, tall mountains, and big, blue skies. But, in all that bigness there is one resource that is absolutely finite, and that’s water. With population and development expanding in the state, water allocation has become a forefront issue that was pushed to a head in early November 2025 with the filing of a lawsuit in Lewis and Clark District Court.

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