"Natural" Gas
...and why it's not the "bridge fuel" they want you to believe.
Protecting Air & Water
Protecting and advancing air and water quality standards to ensure a clean and healthy climate for future generations
Climate & Energy
Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels through an equitable transition to renewable and clean energy sources
Down to Earth
Stay up-to-date on the latest environment news in Montana with Down to Earth, our quarterly membership publication.
VICTORY IN THE BULL MOUNTAINS
MONTANA TUNNELS BANKRUPTCY
NORTHWESTERN'S COLSTRIP ASPIRATIONS
VICTORY IN THE BULL MOUNTAINS
Judge Protects Bull Mountains’ Water, Ranchers from Coal Mine
The court found that “Signal Peak feign[ed] confusion” over the court’s ruling and attempted to present new evidence and arguments that it had never before bothered to provide to the court. It ruled that Signal Peak failed to present the required legal rationale when it asking the court to reverse its decision.
MONTANA TUNNELS BANKRUPTCY
Another Mining Company Files for Bankruptcy Protection
In Montana, it’s a tale as old as time. A mining company gets a permit for a mine, exploits the land for several years, upstreams their valuable assets to a parent company, declares bankruptcy, and avoids the full costs of reclamation. Wash, rinse, repeat.
NORTHWESTERN'S COLSTRIP ASPIRATIONS
NorthWestern Energy Wants More of Colstrip (hold on to your wallets)
NorthWestern is proposing to add even more of an old, expensive, climate-damaging power plant to its portfolio, even as other utilities divest from coal. While the lifeboats are ready and the rats are jumping ship, NorthWestern is working to gouge its customers while it forces them to go down with the ship.
The Latest Stories and Actions from MEIC
The 2023 Legislature: Your Constitutional Rights Are in Jeopardy
Down to Earth, Dec. 2022 – In case anyone was thinking that Montana’s 2023 Legislative Session might be better for the environment than the grueling 2021 Session, their hopes were dashed after the election. The session is going to be brutal for those who care about clean air, clean water, a healthy climate, and corporate accountability.
Let's rise up.
Help protect Montana’s clean air and water.
MEIC has worked for almost 50 years to keep Montana’s air and water clean. We have stopped dirty acid mines and helped pass and defend strong pollution control laws. And it’s all made possible by our members.
MEIC is made up of thousands of Montanans who care deeply about this state – our home. This strong membership has allowed MEIC to remain independent and to always fight for what is right. We would love to have you as a member too.
MEIC in the News
Montana Rolls Back Environmental Protections
May 30, 2023 – Montana’s environmental advocates are criticizing Gov. Greg Gianforte for signing a bill they said will allow the state to ignore the impacts of climate change when developers construct large-scale energy projects such as coal mines and power plants.
Environmentalists sue to protect Lake Koocanusa selenium rule
May 22, 2023 – Environmental groups in Montana and Idaho are defending a water quality standard Montana adopted in 2020 by suing a quasi-judicial board that’s spent the past year trying to invalidate it.
Save Our Smith—more than just a river.
THE SMITH RIVER
A COMMON CAUSE
PROTECTING CLEAN WATER
THE SMITH RIVER
The Smith River is not a location for another failed mining experiment.
Montana’s Smith River is renowned worldwide for its clean water, rugged canyon scenery, and blue ribbon trout fishery. The Smith is Montana’s only permitted recreational river. The permitted section of the Smith River winds 59 miles through a remote canyon in the Big Belt Mountains. Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks classifies the Smith River’s fishery as high-value, owing to its bountiful population of rainbow, brown, westslope cutthroat, and brook trout. The canyon walls of the Smith also boast some of the best examples of Native American pictographs in Montana.
A COMMON CAUSE
Urge Montana to protect the Smith.
Montana’s Smith River is an extraordinary resource, and deserves our most rigorous effort to protect it from mine pollution and dewatering. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte and the Department of Environmental Quality Director Chris Dorrington will make critical decisions that will determine the future of the Smith River and the Sheep Creek Mine.
Please contact Governor Gianforte and Director Dorrington. Let them know that the Smith River is an incredibly important place for the people of Montana and across the country and world, and should not be sacrificed for temporary and risky mining activities.
PROTECTING CLEAN WATER
It’s time to make a stand.
The Smith River and its tributaries provide crucial habitat and spawning grounds for regional trout fisheries. The Sheep Creek drainage accounts for over half of tributary spawning of rainbow trout in the Smith River drainage, and rainbow trout have been known to travel nearly 200 miles round-trip from the Missouri River to spawn!
The Smith River depends on clean cold water from its tributaries to sustain the aquatic life within its banks and the agricultural operations along it. Demands on the river’s waters already often exceed available flows in many years, creating challenges for downstream water users.
“For a practice that has a known effect on soils and strata and water, the onus should be on the applicant [to pay for mine clean-up]. I appreciate mining practices, but what is anything worth if you don’t have clean water.”
J.P. Pomnichowski
Bozeman Senator, SD 33
Montana Environmental
Information Center
Clean and healthful.
It's your right, our mission.
Stay Connected
P: (406) 443-2520
E: meic@meic.org
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Helena, MT 59601
Mailing addresses:
P.O. Box 1184, Helena, MT, 59624
225 W. Front, Missoula, MT, 59802