More than 40 interest groups and Montana businesses are petitioning the state’s utility regulators to consider climate change when making decisions. They filed the request Wednesday.
Environmental organizations, breweries, ski resorts, college students, doctors and more filed the petition. The groups are asking Montana’s Public Service Commission to measure the social costs of greenhouse gas and climate impacts as part of their regulatory work.
Michael Hudson, with one of the environmental groups, says the agency has a large role to play in Montana’s emissions as the regulators of companies that use coal and other fossil fuels to generate power.
"It is just common sense that they consider climate in their decisions," Hudson says.
Under state law, the public can petition any state agency with a request to adopt new rules or change existing ones.
A lawyer for the PSC said they are reviewing the petition but have no comment at this time.
This petition comes as the Montana Supreme Court is considering the extent to which the state Constitution’s “clean and healthful environment” applies to climate change.
The PSC now has 60 days to consider whether it will deny the petition or begin the rulemaking process.
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Gov. Greg Gianforte Thursday signed into law a package of bills aimed at changing the state’s bedrock environmental policy. Lawmakers were eager to modify the policy following a landmark climate ruling in December. -
Policy that would change Montana’s bedrock environmental law will be taken up when lawmakers resume their work later this week. -
Montana and 21 other state attorneys general are suing New York state to stop the state’s law that requires energy companies to pay for damage associated with climate change. -
A landmark Montana Supreme Court decision last year struck down laws passed by Republicans that would have changed Montana's bedrock environmental policy. Now, GOP lawmakers have introduced a suite of bills to undo the court's ruling. -
Hundreds of people rallied at the Capitol last week to ask state lawmakers to pass legislation to protect the environment for future generations. A state Supreme Court ruling last year forces state agencies to consider climate change, but some Republican lawmakers are pushing legislation that could challenge that order. -
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