The Montana Supreme Court will hear oral arguments this week in the appeal of the youth-led climate case Held v. Montana.
Sixteen youth plaintiffs sued the state for violating their constitutional right to a clean environment by failing to address climate change. A district court judge ruled in favor of the kids and ordered the state to consider how any proposed development project contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts.
Lawyers for the youth plaintiffs and the state will present their arguments to Montana’s highest court on Wednesday, July 10. National law firm Our Children’s Trust is backing this case and similar lawsuits in several other states.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in the Held case affects other litigation before the court, regarding Northwestern Energy’s power plant on the banks of the Yellowstone River. The court has indicated it will issue rulings on both cases at the same time, and intends to do so before the next legislative session begins in January.
-
A group of young people are suing the Trump Administration for prioritizing the use of fossil fuels - and driving up planet-warming emissions. The suit was filed Thursday morning in Montana’s federal court -
Sixteen young Montanan’s made headlines when they sued the state – and won – for failing to act on climate change. Republican state lawmakers lambasted the decision. They fast tracked a suite of bills during the 2025 legislative session to limit the ruling's impacts. -
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. -
Legislators have voted forward bills on property tax relief, Medicaid expansion, judicial oversight and more. -
Policy that would change Montana’s bedrock environmental law will be taken up when lawmakers resume their work later this week. -
Press freedom and press access are at stake in the fight over the Gulf of Mexico's name. Legislators want to make sure you use the right bathroom. A climate change court ruling is behind several bills to change Montana's environmental laws. And Republican lawmakers join Vice President Vance in making fun of climate activist Greta Thunberg. -
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. -
In a first, the Montana’s ’s highest court last week affirmed that the constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment includes a stable climate. Although the decision could have future implications, it doesn’t drastically change environmental policy in the state right now. -
The Montana Supreme Court has decided a right to a clean and healthful environment includes a stable climate. It’s the final step in a case where 16 young people sued the state for failing to act on climate change.
