A working group tasked with reviewing and updating Montana’s Environmental Policy Act is beginning to draft recommendations. The final product will guide the future work of state environmental regulators.
A key component of the group's work involves quantifying greenhouse gas emissions. They’ve suggested using emissions data from the EPA to measure how much a proposed development project would add to statewide emissions.
Greenhouse gas emissions trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere, contributing to climate change.
Some group members suggested putting a dollar figure associated with how much a project could add to greenhouse gas emissions, but the group hasn’t found consensus on that idea.
Another component of the process the group has not come to agreement on is weighing the climate impacts of a proposed project versus the economic benefits.
This task force is considering updates to the bedrock of the state’s environmental regulations as conversations around climate impacts are taking place across government. The Supreme Court is considering an appeal of the youth-led climate case Held v. Montana and utility regulators are deliberating a petition to consider climate change as part of their work.
The working group will present a complete list of recommendations in mid-May.
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The federal government is reviewing a plan to capture 150 million tons of carbon dioxide in Wyoming and store it underground in eastern Montana. The project, aimed at mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, is raising objections from local ranchers. -
State utility regulators Monday heard public testimony on a petition asking them to consider climate change impacts as part of their decision-making. -
The federal government is giving out more than $4 billion to lower greenhouse gas emissions. State officials have written a grant proposal that includes funding for energy efficiency in schools. MTPR’s Ellis Juhlin visited one high school that's already done this kind of work. -
Drought conditions are getting worse across much of Montana and it’s going to take above-normal springtime snow and rain to break out of the spiral. -
State environmental regulators have submitted a list of proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The list and its last minute changes were turned into the federal government late last week. -
State environmental regulators have submitted a climate action plan to the federal government.
