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Your guide the 2024 Montana elections
Montana politics, elections and legislative news

State regulators must consider climate change during appeal of landmark case, Supreme Court says

State environmental regulators must consider climate change as part of their permitting decisions for now. The Montana Supreme Court announced that order this week while they await a full argument in a youth-led climate lawsuit.

Supreme Court justices voted 5-2 against state officials’ request to hold off on enforcing a lower court ruling in the Held v. Montana lawsuit while the appeal is in process.

That ruling found the state’s fossil fuel policies violated the youth plaintiff’s constitutional right to a healthy environment.

It also struck down legislation that enabled regulators to exclude consideration of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions when assessing a project’s environmental impacts.

The state has sought to continue business as usual while their appeal plays out. Both state district court and the state Supreme Court have rejected those requests.

Ellis Juhlin is MTPR's Environmental Reporter. She covers wildlife, natural resources, climate change and agriculture stories. She worked at Utah Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio prior to joining MTPR, and in wildlife conservation before becoming a journalist. She has a Master's Degree in Ecology from Utah State University and is an average birder who wants you to keep your cat indoors. Her life is run by her two dogs, one of which is afraid of birds.

ellis.juhlin@mso.umt.edu
406-272-2568
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