Montana is appealing a landmark climate change ruling that favored youth plaintiffs

By AMY BETH HANSON
Associated Press

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The office of Montana’s Republican attorney general is appealing a landmark climate change ruling in which a judge said state agencies aren’t doing enough to protect 16 young plaintiffs from harm caused by global warming. The Attorney General’s Office on Friday said it is going to appeal the August ruling by District Court Judge Kathy Seeley. She found that the Montana Environmental Policy Act violates the youths’ constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment. Meanwhile, the state Department of Environmental Quality is beginning a public process to consider changes to MEPA, which is the policy it uses to determine whether to approve projects that might affect the environment.