A bipartisan legislative committee will meet next week to consider recommendations from the public on proposed changes to Montana energy policy.

The Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee will meet at 8 a.m. July 28-29 in Room 172 of the State Capitol. The public is welcome to attend and will have a chance to comment on two draft bills the committee is thinking of offering during the 2011 legislative session, as well as on other business of the committee. An agenda and the draft proposals are available at leg.mt.gov/etic.

The committee began accepting written comments from the public in June on the two proposals to revise state energy policy. It has received more than 170 responses so far. The public will get a chance to offer further comments directly to the committee during its July meeting.

Also during the meeting, the committee will host a panel on telecommunications in Montana. Panel members will focus on industry consolidations and will discuss AT&T and Alltel, Qwest and CenturyLink, Bresnan and Cablevision, Verizon, Montana Independent Telecommunications Systems, and the Montana Telecommunications Association.

Also on the agenda are:

• a discussion of interoperability in Montana and an update on 9-1-1 programs;
• an overview of hydroelectric power;
• a discussion of geothermal activity in Montana;
• an update from the Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership;
• a review of transmission line development in the state; and
• a summary from the Public Service Commission of legislative proposals it plans to take to the 2011 Legislature.