by Rob Farris-Olsen
All is not lost, though it may appear so at times. Recently, the Trump Administration ignored science — again — and decided that carbon dioxide was not a contributing factor to climate change, with his surrogates going so far as to tout that humans produce carbon dioxide, which is necessary for plant life on earth. While these statements obviously ignore reality, they highlight the reversal of over a decade of environmental policy and demonstrate that industry is more important to the current administration than the future of earth. This is but one example of the problems that are currently facing Montana and our planet. In times like this, it is important to remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s powerful words,“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
In today’s world, in the face of Mount Doom, organizations like MEIC are successfully working to advance sound economic and environmental policies. Pres. Donald Trump has tried to shut down wind and solar, yet solar and wind are thriving; he has tried to force the development of coal resources, yet coal-fired power plants and coal are losing market share; he has tried to shut down advocacy, yet people across Montana and the United States keep standing up for what we believe. It is this continued advocacy and advancement that should not be lost in dire times like this.
When the overwhelming pile of bad threatens to outweigh the good, it’s heartening to zoom out and see just how far we’ve come. As long as we keep pursuing a better Montana, we will see positive outcomes. Prior to the adoption of Montana’s 1972 Constitution, we watched rivers burn, mountains decapitated, prairies stripped, and our air fill with toxins. Out of those wrongs arose some of the greatest national environmental protections and led to Montana embracing a fundamental constitutional right to a “clean and healthful environment” — and the strongest environmental protections in the country. Those protections are as strong today as they were when adopted. When the State tried to strip out greenhouse gases from Montana law, MEIC stood up and again showed that our framers meant what they said: Montana’s environment is not for sale and must be preserved for present and future generations.
As part of MEIC’s fight for a better Montana, it has also secured important wins to ensure transparency. That transparency is critical to a well-informed populace and to weed out backroom deals attempting to sell our environment. In the last year, MEIC brought Right to Know lawsuits against Montana’s Governor, Attorney General, and Legislature. In each instance, the State created privileges to shield their actions from public view. And in each case, MEIC successfully defended transparency and obtained public information from public officials. This transparency, coupled with MEIC’s issue advocacy, gives hope that Montana’s Constitution remains a bulwark for the people.
As we persist through another tumultuous year, take a moment to look back at how far we’ve come. Much that has been accomplished must be defended. We’ll have to reinstate many protections and push them to go even further. But we’re doing it together, with many people in Montana and across the country pushing for the same outcomes.
Rob Farris-Olsen is the Vice President of MEIC’s Board of Directors. He lives and works in Helena with his wife and two young kids. Rob handles a wide variety of legal cases including challenging subdivisions and gravel pits based on environmental concerns.
This article was published in the March 2026 issue of Down To Earth.
