Montana News

MT Supreme Court rejects "climate change" lawsuit

Posted: Jun 15, 2011 3:45 PM by Tim McGonigal
Updated: Jun 15, 2011 3:47 PM

The Montana Supreme Court has denied a group of petitioners asking the state to implement new greenhouse gas emission standards.

A group of legislators who claimed Attorney General Steve Bullock's political leanings would not be in the state's best interests in the case have also been denied.

The suit asked the court to declare that the state of Montana "holds the atmosphere in trust," and that the state has a duty to protect and preserve the atmosphere, including "establishing and enforcing" greenhouse gas emissions in order to mitigate "human-caused climate change."

Stating that the case does not involve purely legal questions, the court's order says it is ill-equipped to resolve the factual assertions presented by the Petitioners.

The order goes on to say that the Petitioners have failed to establish how emergent factors exist in Montana that require the court's immediate attention in light of a lack of original litigation in other states.

Click here to read the full text of the court's order (PDF).

Topics: KTVQ Montana Supreme Court, Climate Chance Lawsuit