The Montana Supreme Court today unanimously denied a request by the Montana Mining Association to toss out a proposed ballot initiative for being legally insufficient to put before voters.
Sponsors are collecting signatures for the initiative to require future mines to submit reclamation plans that don't require the perpetual cleanup of polluted water after the mines close.
The mining association says the vaguely worded initiative would allow environmental activists to sue to block any new mines from opening in Montana. It asked the state Supreme Court to toss the initiative on a technical claim that the measure's effective date conflicts with state law.