Complaint or Spill Reporting
Information obtained from citizen reports is an integral part of the
department's investigation of potential violations of Montana's
environmental laws. If you observe some activity that may harm the
environment or cause a threat to human health, you can report it to the DEQ
Enforcement Division for investigation. The Enforcement
Division will investigate all legitimate complaints to
determine if there is a violation of Montana environmental laws.
You can report information to the Enforcement Division by calling
(406) 444-0379, or by filling out a form
below. You can fax the completed form to (406) 444-1923
or mail it to: Montana Department of Environmental Quality Enforcement
Division Complaints Management Section P.O. Box 200901 Helena, Montana
59620-0901, or email the completed form to
Ed Coleman.
You may also call the Division for more information about complaints,
spill reporting, the Spill Reporting Policy, or
any other enforcement actions. The following portion of the Montana
Water Quality Act discusses several.
MCA 75-5-636. Investigation of complaints by other parties.
A person, association, corporation, or agency of the state or federal
government may notify the department of an alleged violation of this
chapter. Based upon information submitted by the person, association,
corporation, or agency, the department shall conduct an investigation to
determine the validity of the complaint. If a violation is established
by the department's investigation, the department shall initiate an
appropriate enforcement response as described in 75-5-617, MCA. If the
investigation proves the protest to have been without reasonable cause, the
department may seek recovery of investigative costs from the person who made
the notification.
