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Montana environmental news covering wild things, climate, energy and natural resources.

Plaintiffs in youth-led climate lawsuit ask court to rehear their case

Plaintiffs in the Lighthiser v. Trump climate lawsuit are asking the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider their case after it was dismissed last month.

Filed by Our Children’s Trust on behalf of 22 youth plaintiffs, the non-profit law firm said Lighthiser v. Trump made history in 2025 when these plaintiffs testified live in federal court. Young people, including from Montana, argued that the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders boosting fossil fuel development and removing climate science from government websites are harming their constitutional rights, including to life, health and safety.

The Court dismissed the case, ruling the plaintiffs did not draw a strong enough link between the alleged harms and the executive orders.

Plaintiffs outlined three alleged errors in the Court’s decision that they presented to a panel of judges and will now await their decision.

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