Mastodawn

CelloMom On Cars May 11, 2023

#Gaslighting takes on a whole new meaning:

"#Ohio’s bill labeling gas as “green” appears to be more of a public relations stunt than anything.
#Tennessee’s new law, on the other hand, has a specific, anti-#climate policy intent. It doesn’t just vaguely say that “#gas is #CleanEnergy;” it says that local governments attempting to set “clean energy” standards must include gas in that definition.

Three of the Tennessee bill’s co-sponsors are #ALEC members"

#Greenwashing
https://heated.world/p/climate-misinformation-is-becoming

Climate misinformation is becoming law

Fossil fuel interests are no longer just marketing lies about "natural gas." They’re getting them codified into law.

HEATED

CelloMom On Cars May 13, 2023

"#Montana Gov. Greg #Gianforte has signed into law a bill that bars the state from considering #climate impacts in its analysis of large projects such as #coal mines and #PowerPlants.

House Bill 971 [drew] more than 1,000 comments, 95% of which expressed opposition to the measure. "
Seems ordinary Montanans know this bill doesn't make sense.Looks like they were ignored.

#EnergyTransition #ClimateDenial #gaslighting
https://montanafreepress.org/2023/05/12/gianforte-signs-climate-change-analysis-ban-into-law/

Gianforte signs bill banning state agencies from analyzing climate impacts

House Bill 971 comes as Montana courts are poised to consider how “clean and healthful environment” protections intersect with energy regulations.

Montana Free Press

CelloMom On Cars May 14, 2023

"A #Montana judge on Friday said a #ClimateChange #lawsuit from young people challenging the state’s pro-fossil fuel policies will proceed to trial despite efforts by the state to derail the case.

“It’s highly significant that this case is going to trial at all,” Thiam said. “Getting all of this information on the record will be a major advancement in climate litigation.” "

#OurChildrensTrust
https://www.kfyrtv.com/2023/05/13/youth-lawsuit-challenging-montanas-pro-fossil-fuel-policies-is-heading-trial/

Youth lawsuit challenging Montana’s pro-fossil fuel policies is heading to trial

The upcoming trial in Helena would be the first of its kind in the United States, according to experts in climate law who said the nation is lagging behind the rest of the world in terms of climate litigation.

KFYR

CelloMom On Cars May 16, 2023

"Climatologist Judith Curry, a go-to figure on the denial circuit, is expected to take the stand for the defense in the youth #climate #lawsuit. "

She has a long history of #ClimateDenial. Not sure who convinced the State of #Montana to hire her but the plaintiffs, #OurChildrensTrust, will have a field day highlighting her denier history.

https://www.desmog.com/2023/05/15/judith-curry-denier-montana-climate-trial/

Montana Is Paying a Climate Denier to Give Expert Testimony in Upcoming Trial

Climatologist Judith Curry, a go-to figure on the denial circuit, is expected to take the stand for the defense in the youth climate lawsuit.

DeSmog

CelloMom On Cars Jun 11, 2023

"Whether a constitutional right to a healthy, livable #climate is protected by state law is at the center of a lawsuit going to trial Monday in #Montana, where 16 young plaintiffs and their attorneys hope to set an important legal precedent."

"The case was brought in 2020 by attorneys for the environmental group #OurChildrensTrust, which has filed #ClimateLawsuits in every state on behalf of young plaintiffs since 2011."

https://apnews.com/article/youth-climate-trial-montana-18e301a701fcf4badc904984455406fc

Youth environmentalists bring Montana climate case to trial after 12 years, seeking to set precedent

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Whether a constitutional right to a healthy, livable climate is protected by state law is at the center of a lawsuit going to trial Monday in Montana, where 16 young plaintiffs and their attorneys hope to set an important legal precedent.

Associated Press

CelloMom On Cars

"The trial is scheduled to last two weeks with 16 young plaintiffs and their attorneys seeking to persuade District Judge Kathy Seeley that #Montana’s allegiance to #FossilFuels endangers their health and livelihoods and threatens future generations."

#ClimateLawsuit
https://apnews.com/article/youth-climate-trial-montana-bee4111fe38e2cdda7c1cb4177cd558f

Lawsuit pits young climate change activists against a fossil fuel-friendly state at trial

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Young people challenging Montana officials over inaction on climate change are expected back in state court on Tuesday in a first-of-a kind trial of a lawsuit that environmentalists hope will spur changes in the fossil fuel-friendly state .

Associated Press

CelloMom On Cars Jun 17, 2023

“I have hopefully 80 years left of living in Montana and living on this earth,” she said on the stand. “Knowing that my health will be in danger for those 80 years, my livelihood, my home? That’s a long time to live with that.”

.
State attorneys tried to deflect responsibility ("Montana only emits an itty bitty bit of carbon"). The US made that argument too, in Massachusetts v EPA.
“The supreme court rejected that argument,”.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/17/montana-climate-trial-helena

Dramatic week in Montana climate trial as youngsters tell of toll on lives

Youth plaintiffs accuse state officials of violating their right to a healthy environment in landmark case in Helena

The Guardian

CelloMom On Cars Jun 20, 2023

#Montana in its defense only called on three witnesses. Two are from the Department of Environmental Quality, and both "testified that DEQ had little authority to reject projects as long as they met certain requirements set by law." The third said "Montana was responsible for only 0.08% of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions." but couldn't say where he got that number from.

#OurChildrensTrust
https://www.courthousenews.com/montana-begins-and-ends-defense-in-landmark-climate-change-trial/

Montana begins (and ends) defense in landmark climate change trial

In its defense against a landmark climate lawsuit filed by 16 young plaintiffs, the state of Montana called just three witnesses.

CelloMom On Cars Jun 20, 2023

The head of #Montana's DEQ was asked if he was familiar with the #IPCC.

"I attended this trial last week, when there was testimony relevant to IPCC," he said. "Prior to that, I wasn't familiar, and certainly not deeply familiar with its role or its work." It was a startling admission from one of the state's top environmental officials.

#FossilFuels really reign supreme in this state.

https://www.courthousenews.com/montana-begins-and-ends-defense-in-landmark-climate-change-trial/

Montana begins (and ends) defense in landmark climate change trial

In its defense against a landmark climate lawsuit filed by 16 young plaintiffs, the state of Montana called just three witnesses.

CelloMom On Cars Aug 14, 2023

WIN !!

"Julia Olson, who founded #OurChildrensTrust, said the case marks the first time in #US history that the merits of a case led a court to rule that a government violated young people’s constitutional rights by promoting #FossilFuels.

“In a sweeping win for our clients, the Honorable Judge Kathy Seeley declared #Montana’s fossil fuel-promoting laws unconstitutional,” she said."

#ClimateChange
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/14/montana-climate-trial-young-activists-judge-order

‘Gamechanger’: judge rules in favor of young activists in US climate trial

Sixteen young plaintiffs had alleged the Montana state government had violated their right to a healthy environment

The Guardian

CelloMom On Cars Aug 15, 2023

"Seeley wrote in her 103-page order that the MEPA limitation, which prohibits the state from considering greenhouse gas #emissions and #climate impacts when deciding whether to approve permits for energy and mining projects, violated Montanans’ rights under the 1972 state #constitution."

https://dailymontanan.com/2023/08/14/judge-sides-with-youth-in-montana-climate-change-trial-finds-two-laws-unconstitutional/

Judge sides with youth in Montana climate change trial, finds two laws unconstitutional – Daily Montanan

The state of Montana’s failure to consider greenhouse gas emissions from energy and mining projects violates the state constitution because it does not protect Montanans’ right to a clean and healthful environment and the state’s natural resources from unreasonable depletion, a judge ruled Monday in a victory for the 16 youth plaintiffs who sued the state.

Daily Montanan

CelloMom On Cars Aug 17, 2023

Great piece by @petergleick puts this win in perspective.

"The clear acceptance of the facts of #ClimateChange and the strength of climate science will make future attempts in court cases to dismiss climate science untenable. The case provides a roadmap for how to present the science, and clearly establishes the threat of climate harm to humans, future generations, and the environment, which will make it easier to do so in future cases."

#Montana #ClimateLawsuit
https://thebulletin.org/2023/08/montana-climate-case-delivers-win-for-youth-science-and-the-environment/

Montana climate case delivers win for youth, science, and the environment

“The science is clear that there are catastrophic harms to the natural environment of Montana and Plaintiffs and future generations...”

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

CelloMom On Cars Aug 17, 2023

"The big question, particularly in the #UnitedStates, is if one of these lawsuits ever gets past preliminary motions and efforts by the industry to make it go away. If they go to #discovery and are heading toward a #JuryTrial.

Will these lawsuits pressure the #FossilFuel industry to fundamentally change the nature of their business, or instead cause them to use their immense influence over politicians to get immunity without responsibility [like the gun lobby did]?"

https://sustainability.yale.edu/explainers/yale-experts-explain-climate-lawsuits

Yale Experts Explain Climate Lawsuits | Yale Sustainability

Douglas Kysar discusses recent lawsuits aimed at curbing emissions and mitigating climate risks.

CelloMom On Cars Jul 10, 2024

"#Montana's top court is set to hear the state's appeal of a landmark ruling holding that it was violating the rights of young people to a clean and healthful environment by barring regulators from considering the impacts on climate change when approving fossil fuel projects.

The Republican-led state will urge the Montana Supreme Court to conclude that the lawsuit by 16 young people should never have gone to trial in the first place"

https://www.reuters.com/legal/montana-ask-state-top-court-overturn-landmark-climate-ruling-2024-07-10/
#OurChildrensTrust

CelloMom On Cars Dec 19, 2024

"Montana’s Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a landmark climate ruling that said the state was violating residents’ constitutional right to a clean environment by permitting oil, gas and coal projects without regard for global warming.

#Montana’s Constitution requires agencies to “maintain and improve” a clean environment."

https://apnews.com/article/youth-climate-change-lawsuit-montana-7c4b6261f610d504995743f7320533e8

This is why environmental groups are pushing for a #GreenAmendment to states' constitutions: so other states get these protections too.

Montana's top court upholds landmark ruling in youth climate case

Montana’s Supreme Court has upheld a landmark climate ruling that said the state was violating residents’ constitutional right to a clean environment by permitting oil, gas and coal projects without regard for global warming. The justices, in a 6-1 ruling Wednesday, upheld an August 2023 decision by a state judge. That decision was considered a breakthrough in attempts by young environmentalists and their attorneys to use the courts to leverage action on climate change. The justices found unconstitutional a policy that prevented Montana from considering the effect of greenhouse gases when issuing permits for fossil fuel development.

AP News

Rich Stein (he/him)Jun 20, 2023

@CelloMomOnCars
Some pretty shoddy, inaccurate testimony that the defense — #Montana — introduced, also. Call it the "don't worry, be happy — and keep drilling and burning coal" defense. https://dailymontanan.com/2023/06/19/deq-employees-climate-economist-testify-for-state-in-montana-climate-change-trial/ #FossilFuels #coal #ClimateChange

DEQ employees, 'climate economist,' testify for state in Montana climate change trial – Daily Montanan

Attorneys for the state of Montana rested their case Monday in the youth climate trial after calling the Department of Environmental Quality director and one of its division directors to the stand, along with a lone expert witness who presented data on greenhouse gas emissions that the plaintiffs’ attorneys deemed to be incorrect.

Daily Montanan

CelloMom On Cars Jun 20, 2023

I'm starting to wonder why Montana's defense was so weak.

They don't take this case seriously, or they're counting on fossil fuels to remain king in the state? They're not worried about the rising wind industry in the state? At some point, entrenched power crosses the line and becomes just hubris.