Executive Order

EXECUTIVE ORDER PROCLAIMING AN EMERGENCY TO EXIST IN GALLATIN, MISSOULA AND POWELL COUNTIES

WHEREAS, unseasonable spring snow storms occurred in Montana from June 3 through June 14, 2001, and severely damaged electrical power utilities and resulted in electrical power outages; and

WHEREAS, the immediate restoration of electrical power is essential to ensure the health, safety and welfare of residents of the affected counties; and

WHEREAS, record snow depths occurred as a result of these unusual June snowstorms, causing extensive damage to trees in the affected counties; and

WHEREAS, a vast amount of debris occurred in the cities of Bozeman and Missoula, which is an immediate threat to public health and safety and must be removed to restore traffic and public safety; and

WHEREAS, local jurisdictions have declared Emergencies or Disasters to exist in their affected areas; and

WHEREAS, the availability and utilization of all necessary state government services, equipment and supplies under this proclamation will further the efforts to protect health and safety and to preserve the lives, property and resources of the people of the State of Montana; and

WHEREAS, a proclamation of an emergency authorizes the Governor under Section 10-3-104(a), MCA, to suspend Section 2-18-501, MCA, to allow reasonable expenditures for food and lodging for State Disaster and Emergency Services Division personnel responding to this emergency; and

WHEREAS, a proclamation of an emergency authorizes the Governor under Section 10-3-311, MCA, to expend funds from the general fund to meet contingencies and needs arising from these conditions.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JUDY MARTZ, Governor of the State of Montana, pursuant to the authority vested in me as Governor under the Constitution of the State of Montana, Title 10, Chapter 3, MCA, and under other applicable statutes, do hereby declare that an emergency exists in Gallatin, Missoula and Powell Counties of the State of Montana.

This Order is effective June 3, 2001.

	GIVEN under my hand and the GREAT SEAL of the State of Montana, this ___ day of __________, 2001. JUDY MARTZ, Governor
ATTEST: BOB BROWN, Secretary of State