Enviornmental News

Montana To Ask State Top Court To Overturn Landmark Climate Ruling

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 …

California Lawmakers to Ask Voters for Permission Borrow $20B for Climate, Schools

Mired in a stream of multi-billion dollar budget deficits, the California Legislature has turned to voters for help. Lawmakers voted to place a pair of $10 billion bonds on the November ballot. If approved, the money would pay for the …

$24.5M Settlement in New Mexico over Natural Gas Flaring in Permian Basin

New Mexico has reached a record settlement with a company over air pollution violations at natural gas gathering sites in the Permian Basin. The $24.5 million agreement with Ameredev announced this week is the largest settlement the state Environment Department …

Appeals Court Finds Rules for Oregon’s Climate Program Invalid

A state appeals court in Oregon decided the rules for a program designed to limit and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel companies are invalid. The program, started in 2022, is one of the strongest climate programs in …

5 Died of Exposure to Chemical in Central Illinois Crash, Preliminary Autopsies Find

Five people died from exposure to a chemical that spilled after a semitruck overturned in central Illinois, according to autopsies. Effingham County Coroner Kim Rhodes said official results from the autopsies won`t be available for several weeks. The victims of …

Youth Lawsuit Challenging Montana’s Pro-Fossil Fuel Policies Heading to Trial

A Montana judge said a climate change 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. The upcoming trial in Helena would be the first of …

Court Throws out Berkeley, California’s Ban on Natural Gas

A federal appeals court overturned Berkeley, California’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas in new construction, agreeing with restaurant owners who argued the city bypassed federal energy regulations when it approved the ordinance. The measure, which took effect in 2020 to …

Pollution Lawsuit Could Curb Use of Aerial Fire Retardant

A legal dispute in Montana could drastically curb the government’s use of aerial fire retardant to combat wildfires after environmentalists raised concerns about waterways that are being polluted with the potentially toxic red slurry that’s dropped from aircraft. A coalition …

Cleanup on Montana Train Derailment Spill Tough Going

Crews could face a difficult cleanup task after a 25-car train derailment spilled powdered clay and cases of beer beside a scenic western Montana river, leaving some cars off the tracks in a narrow, century-old tunnel with limited access, officials …

Takeaways from Our Conversation on Environmental Risks for Cannabis Operations

In cannabis, there are the apparent risks – product liability, property, and certainly cyber for medical marijuana operations. However, one of the most apparent risks to a cannabis operation are those that may not get as much media coverage. Environmental …