Montana

A Climate Trial in Montana Sets the Scene for More

Held v. Montana is the first of many climate lawsuits by youth plaintiffs to go to trial. Big Sky Country is a fitting forum for this phase of climate change litigation.

Young people who have the most to lose from climate change have filed lawsuits in all 50 states, but the first of these cases to go to trial will be in Montana—unofficially nicknamed “the Last Best Place”—which may be the perfect venue for a landmark trial about government culpability for the global climate crisis. Starting …

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It Really IS A Big Sky!

For the last few days, I have been at my wife’s family reunion in northwestern Montana, where her great-grandfather and great-grandmother came as homesteaders in the late 19th century.  I had never been to Montana before, and at least this area is often stunningly beautiful: no wonder many Montanas have taken to calling their state …

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U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Montana’s River Ownership Claims

The U.S. Supreme Court has issued its decision in PPL Montana v. State of Montana, a fascinating case that combines the colorful history of the American West, the issue of the public’s access to state waterways, and a dispute over hefty royalties claimed to be owed the State of Montana for unpermitted use of public …

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Wolf hunts can continue

A federal judge in Montana has refused to halt the hunting of gray wolves in Idaho and Montana, but has strongly suggested that the wolf was unlawfully delisted under the Endangered Species Act. In April, the US Fish and Wildlife Service removed the gray wolf in Idaho and Montana from the endangered species list. The …

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