CelloMom On CarsMay 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
Show threadCelloMom On CarsMay 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
Show threadCelloMom On CarsMay 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
Show threadCelloMom On CarsMay 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
Show threadCelloMom On CarsJun 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
Show threadCelloMom On CarsJun 13, 2023

"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
Show threadCelloMom On CarsJun 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
Show threadCelloMom On CarsJun 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.

Show threadCelloMom On CarsJun 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.

Show threadRich 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
Show threadCelloMom On Cars

@RichStein

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.

Jun 20, 2023 at 2:25pmWeb