Held v. Montana ruling upheld by Montana Supreme Court

On Wednesday December 18, the Montana Supreme Court upheld the original ruling in the Held v. Montana lawsuit, and affirmed that, “… Montana’s right to a clean and healthful environment and environmental life support system includes a stable climate system.” The opinion also upheld the original ruling that rolled back two laws enacted by the 2023 legislature that limited the Montana Environmental Policy Act from evaluating greenhouse gas emissions or their impacts. 

Read more about the ruling in The Daily Montanan: Montana Supreme Court affirms decision in Held, historic youth climate case

Held v. Montana youth plaintiffs Claire (left) and Oliva (right) accepting the Conservationist of the Year Award at the 2024 Wings Across the Big Sky Festival.

At the 2024 Wings Across the Big Sky Birding Festival in Helena, Montana Audubon honored the 16 youth plaintiffs of the Held v. Montana lawsuit with our Conservationist of the Year Award, in recognition of their historic, winning, youth-led constitutional climate lawsuit. 

“The Held plaintiffs demonstrated plenty of specific harms to themselves, Montana and the greater natural world already caused by years of permitting decisions that didn’t take into account the real environmental impacts of state actions. So we celebrate this decision to ensure a clean and healthy environment for birds, other wildlife and the critical habitats that support them… and all of us,” said Larry Berrin, Montana Audubon Executive Director.

With this landmark decision, we can expect more attacks on the independence of the Judiciary in the upcoming 2025 Legislative Session. Once again, Montana Audubon will be there to protect our birds, other wildlife and lands as we have for nearly 50 years. Sign up for our Action Alert emails for regular updates on priority bills, resources for testifying and reaching lawmakers, and other relevant information. 

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