Victory Roundup While 2021 had its challenges, you helped MEIC achieve many exciting victories for our health and the environment this year. Here are the highlights: •
At the beginning of the year, MEIC brought a successful legal • action to prevent the Trump Administration’s secret science rule, which undermined the use of science in government decisionmaking, from taking effect.
• The Rock Creek Mine, a silver mine proposed on the flanks of the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, had its biological analysis declared insufficient by a federal court. • •
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During the Montana legislative session, you rallied to help us defeat SB 379, NorthWestern Energy’s Billion Dollar Bailout bill, which would have allowed the company to purchase a greater share of the antiquated and expensive Colstrip power plant.
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You also helped us defeat SB 260, a terrible regulatory takings bill that kept our lobbyists up • at night.
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We saw an important veto on the electric vehicle tax hike bill, thanks to people contacting Gov. Gianforte.
MEIC brought together most of the remaining 1972 Constitutional Convention delegates when we celebrated their work by giving them our Conservationists of the Year Award, in a safe celebration at the Capitol. In a victory for all Montana nonprofits, Gov. Gianforte also vetoed the bill to force disclosure of membership lists when organizations such as MEIC legally challenge state agencies. A decade-long battle to stop water pollution at the Rosebud coal mine, which provides coal to the Colstrip coal-fired power plant, resulted in a favorable court decision to protect clean water. In addition, an expansion of the Spring Creek coal mine was stopped, sparing our climate from additional carbon pollution. Finally, MEIC is hurtling into the modern era by joining TikTok and distributing content on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other services.
2021: A Year of Growth
The first full year of leadership under Cari Kimball and Anne Hedges was certainly exciting for MEIC. Four new members were added to the staff, including two entirely new positions.
Ian Lund Clean Energy Advocate
Melissa Nootz Campaigns & Advocacy Director
Katy Spence Communications & Engagement Director
Julie Wintersteen Development Associate
We also added four new members to our Board of Directors.
Akilah Lane
Rae Deernose Howe
Zuri Moreno
Board President: Kathy Juedeman Board Members: Gary Aitken Bruce Bender Charles Besancon Skye Borden Malcolm Gilbert Steve Gilbert Diana Hammer Madison Hebner Rae Deernose Howe Akilah Lane Zuri Moreno Roger Sullivan Neal Ullman Beth Taylor Wilson MEIC Staff: Anne Hedges Derf Johnson Cari Kimball Ian Lund Adam McLane Melissa Nootz Katy Spence Julie Wintersteen
Madison Hebner
Read more about our amazing staff and board members on our website: www.meic.org/about/our-people
Financial Overview
MEIC is grateful for our generous donors, who provide the lion’s share of our funding! The full details of our financial standing are available online.
The Year Ahead Topping MEIC’s 2022 priority list, as it has for many years, is tackling the climate crisis by continuing to propel Montana toward a just and rapid transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. MEIC will continue fighting coal mine expansions and oil and gas leases on public lands. We will do everything in our power to prevent NorthWestern Energy executives from building their proposed methane gas plant in Laurel and their attempts to stifle renewable energy development. We will work with local governments to continue creating climate action plans that benefit communities embracing energy efficiency and affordable clean energy. We will also increase education opportunities to help Montanans understand impacts of the climate crisis and how to take action to change the current course. We will continue in our quest to protect clean air and clean water for all Montanans and the ecosystems that depend on them. Among our highest priorities are protecting Montana waters from hardrock mine development on the Smith River, in the Cabinet
Mountains Wilderness, and at the old Zortman/ Landusky mine, and also protecting Montana’s waters from rampant uncontrolled development, which is exacerbating ongoing nutrient pollution. We are carefully monitoring conversations about nuclear energy in Montana and will share the latest news and information we have. As cryptocurrency continues to bolster dying fossil fuel power plants, we will continue our march against them. MEIC will continue to build relationships with local impacted communities working to develop and have implemented policies that benefit Montanans rather than industry investors. Finally, we will continue to collaborate in order to grow a more powerful environmental movement in Montana that is inclusive, powerful, and successful in defending our right to a clean and healthful environment for present and future generations. Watch your physical and digital mailboxes for our member survey this summer.
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