President Biden nominates CSKT attorney to fill a federal judgeship
Montana Public Radio | By Shaylee Ragar
President Joe Biden has nominated a Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes attorney to fill a federal judgeship.
Danna Jackson, a longtime public attorney and current counsel for the Tribes, has been tapped for Montana’s U.S. District Court judgeship. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she’ll replace Judge Dana Christensen in Missoula.
Jackson is a Kootenai descendant and grew up on the Flathead Indian Reservation. She received both a bachelor’s degree and law degree from the University of Montana before holding several positions in both the state and federal governments.
That included working as senior counsel in the Bureau of Land Management and as chief legal counsel for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
Montana U.S. Sen. Jon Tester applauded Jackson’s nomination, saying she has a “proven track record of applying the law with fairness and integrity.”
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines criticized Biden for not seriously consulting his office before making the nomination. Daines said he looks forward to reviewing Jackson’s record to decide if she’s a good fit for the job.
Biden announced Jackson’s nomination along with six others for federal benches around the country and all nominees are women. The White House said in a statement the president promised to ensure the nation’s courts reflect the country’s diversity.
Federal regulators pass new air quality standards
Montana Public Radio | By Ellis Juhlin
Federal environmental regulators have passed new air quality standards to reduce harmful chemicals emitted by coal-fired power plants, which could impact the power plant in Colstrip.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards include new emissions standards that all coal-fired plants must meet to control particulate pollution. Toxic pollutants regulated by the change include arsenic and lead, which are known to cause negative health effects.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Energy, Colstrip Unit 4 has one of the highest emissions rates for these toxic substances in the country. The plant currently lacks pollution controls in place at other plants in the U.S.
A report from the EPA on the new ruling states that Northern Cheyenne tribal members, whose reservation is 20 miles from the Colstrip facility, have been disproportionately impacted by exposure to toxic emissions from the plant.
Montana passed a state rule in 2010 limiting mercury emissions from coal plants, but not other pollutants.
In a statement, Gov. Greg Gianforte said the regulations “undermine a critical supply of low cost power by threatening the plants survival.”
Talen Energy, the company that operates Colstrip, did not return MTPR’s request for comment by deadline.
Wildlife officials finalize plan to re-establish grizzlies in the Northern Cascade Mountains
Montana Public Radio | By Aaron Bolton
Federal wildlife officials have finalized a plan to re-establish grizzly bears in the Northern Cascade Mountains of Washington.
The plan would relocate grizzlies from the Glacier and Yellowstone national park regions as well as bears from British Columbia.
The National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will transfer three to seven bears annually into the Northern Cascades until there are 25 animals established. The agencies' goal is for that population to grow up to 200 bears over the next 60 to 100 years.
The bears will have federal protections and can only be killed with Fish and Wildlife approval after repeated conflict with humans or livestock. The rules also allow for accidental killings.
The last grizzly sighting in the Northern Cascades was in 1996.
