MISSOULA – Montana boaters will see another mandatory inspection this summer.
A new aquatic invasive species (AIS) rule calls for all watercraft with ballast tanks or bladders to be decontaminated upon entering the state or crossing the Continental Divide into the Columbia River Basin.
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Previous state regulations required boats at high risk of carrying zebra mussels to be decontaminated with hot water.
Lawmakers believe that the new standard of checking any interior portion of a vessel contained in House Bill 608 will help prevent the risk of spreading invasive species.
