A group of Montana youth activists has filed a lawsuit with the Montana Supreme Court, aiming to protect their earlier climate rights victory. The youths argue that new laws passed this year undermine constitutional protections for a stable climate and ignore a landmark court decision. Their legal action highlights ongoing tension between climate advocates and state policymakers over environmental regulation.

The youth plaintiffs, aged roughly 15 to 24, originally won a major legal case when the Montana Supreme Court ruled that the state must consider climate impacts in decision-making under its constitutional guarantee of a clean and healthful environment. Now they say recently enacted changes weaken that victory by making it harder to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

Laws Challenged in Current Climate Lawsuit

The new lawsuit targets changes to key environmental laws in Montana — specifically amendments to the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and the Montana Clean Air Act. The plaintiffs claim these amendments conflict directly with the earlier court ruling and violate constitutional climate protections.

The disputed provisions:

• Exclude climate change from permitting reviews of fossil fuel and energy projects.
• Prevent the state from regulating greenhouse gases more strictly than federal standards.

According to the activists, these changes stop state agencies from properly evaluating the climate impacts of major projects. They argue this limitation strips regulators of the tools needed to uphold constitutional rights.

“Montana’s leaders are openly defying the Constitution and the Supreme Court,” said Nate Bellinger, lead attorney for the youth plaintiffs. “The plaintiffs are asking the Supreme Court to enforce its prior judgment and restore agencies’ ability to consider and regulate greenhouse gas pollution before more irreversible harm is done.”

State officials supporting the new laws say the changes are meant to protect Montana’s energy industry and keep regulations consistent with broader policy goals. Governor Greg Gianforte said lawmakers acted to provide clarity and stability for energy producers, while House Speaker Brandon Ler described prior rulings as overreach.

Constitutional Right to a Stable Climate at Stake

The original case that the youth activists won — known as Held v. Montana — found that the state constitution’s guarantee of a clean and healthful environment includes a right to a stable climate system. That ruling required regulators to consider greenhouse gas emissions in environmental reviews.

In response, state lawmakers passed the new laws now being challenged, which activists say undo the court’s intent. They argue that limiting the scope of environmental reviews effectively “re-blindfolds” regulators and threatens the stability of the climate protections they fought to secure.

What Happens Next in the Legal Fight

The youth activists have asked the Montana Supreme Court to strike down the new laws and enforce the earlier decision. They say the state must uphold its constitutional duty to protect a healthy environment and stable climate for current and future generations.

Legal experts and environmental advocates are watching closely, noting that the court’s decision could influence similar climate rights cases nationwide. For the Montana youths, the case represents both a legal challenge and a personal fight for their future in a world confronting rising climate impacts.