BILLINGS — Gov. Greg Gianforte has vetoed a bipartisan bill that aimed to ban most Styrofoam products in Montana restaurants.
“The state banning Styrofoam is costly government reach,” Gianforte, a Republican said in a social media post Tuesday.
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Gianforte's action disappointed many, who hoped the ban would curb Styrofoam waste in Montana.
A couple of weeks ago, MTN News spoke to a server at Montana Brewing Company in Billings who was excited about the bill.
“I think being a leader in doing this is going to set a precedent that our kids in future generations are going to look back on and say, ‘There's where it started. Here's who started it’,” Kylie Eckhardt said in a recent interview.
House Bill 477 passed both chambers with bipartisan support (56-41 in the House and 26-22 in the Senate, with all Democrats in favor) and aimed to phase out polystyrene used in single-use food containers, with certain exceptions.
On May 1, when the bill landed on the governor's desk, Gianforte vetoed it, then later turned to social media and called it “a hot mess."
“A bill just came to my desk that bans Styrofoam containers for food and drinks in Montana. This bill would create a new government program costing taxpayers $300,000,” Gianforte said.
Gianforte added that the bill would also force higher costs on 7,500 Montana restaurants, businesses and consumers.
“The state banning Styrofoam is costly government overreach. And like many Montanans, I enjoy hot coffee in a Styrofoam cup because it keeps it hot. And this bill is a hot mess,” Gianforte added.
Back at Montana Brewery Company, the governor’s stance is not making a big impact.
“I imagine the people that fought hard to get past will be disappointed,” worker Joshua Erbacher said Tuesday.
The restaurant will be unaffected because it steered away from Styrofoam containers a few years ago.
