Montana’s Environmental Quality Council is starting two days of meetings tomorrow, where lawmakers and other council members will hear the latest on the battle against aquatic invasive species.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials are expected to tell the council that 16 boats stopped at watercraft inspections stations contained invasive zebra and quagga mussels.
A FWP memo from early September says no new aquatic invasive species populations have been detected in the state waters this season.
Last December, Governor Steve Bullock signed an executive order declaring a statewide natural resources emergency due to the detection of larvae of invasive aquatic mussels at the Tiber Reservoir, north of Great Falls.
During the last legislative session, lawmakers approved additional funding for state agencies to monitor for invasive mussels.
Officials with Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation will join FWP in the aquatic invasive species update presentation Wednesday.