Down to Earth: Sept. 2021

DowntoEarth

MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

NEWS FROM THE MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

IN THIS ISSUE 2 Conservationist of the Year Award

Conservationists of the Year: 1972 Con Con Delegates

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Bad Actor Backpedal

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Laurel Gas Plant

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Protecting the Gallatin River

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Board of Directors Election

12 Buildings and Climate 13 Colstrip Coal Ash Reversal 16 Nuclear Energy 18 Coal Mining 20 Injustice of Mining Decisions 22 Meet Julie Wintersteen

Clean and Healthful, it’s Your Right, Our Mission.

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September 2021 | Vol.47 • No.3

MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

Celebrating 50 Years of Constitutional Rights

by Katy Spence

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n 1972, 100 Montanans gathered in Helena to rewrite the State Constitution. On September 1, 2021, six of them reunited in a small ceremony in the Old Supreme Court chambers in the Capitol to receive MEIC’s Conservationist of the Year Award.

“We are absolutely tardy in giving you this honor,” Anne Hedges, MEIC Director of Policy, said. “For nearly 30 years, I’ve been working at MEIC and relying on the words that you all put to paper.”

Delegates in attendance were, in order of speaking: Mae Nan Ellingson, Arlyne Reichert, Gene Harbaugh, Jerry Loendorf, Lyle Monroe, and Bob Campbell.

Former Governor Brian Schweitzer opened the event, pointing out the uniqueness of Montana’s Constitution. He noted the citizens’ right to privacy is protected in the new Constitution. He also pointed out the number of women who helped write the document, an unprecedented for that time 19 of the Cover: MEIC Board Member 100 delegates.

Roger Sullivan “At its time, [the Convention] addresses was very progressive and represented attendees on Sept. 1, 2021.

Montana,” Gov. Schweitzer said. “We are protected by the words that you have

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written, and I thank you for that. All of Montana thanks you for that.”

The 1972 Convention was a groundbreaking event. Hundreds of Montanans ran during primary and general elections to be elected as a delegate. Of the 100 delegates, 58 were Democrats, 36 Republicans, and 6 Independents. Delegate Arlyne Reichert noted that they decided to sit alphabetically, so as not to give in to partisanship.

“I think that we set a perfect example that exemplifies how people can get along without getting bogged down with these partisan politics,” Reichert said.

In the end, the delegates’ work in 1972 gave Montana what many consider a “model” state

Protecting Montana’s natural environment since 1973.

MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

constitution. Along with a substantial declaration of rights, it included sunshine laws to open up the government and grant citizens the right to know and participate in government decision-making. MEIC has relied on these constitutional provisions for generations in the quest to hold government accountable.

It bestowed upon all of us our beloved right to a “clean and healthful environment,” which Delegate Bob Campbell helped cinch. The inclusion of “clean and healthful” was essential — and controversial.

After it was voted down several times, Campbell addressed his fellow delegates with a hypothetical: “Some little kid is going to come up to me or you and say ‘What did you do about my environment in the future?’ And you’re going to have to say, ‘We decided to have one.’”

The phrase finally passed. MEIC Board Member Roger Sullivan noted that this inclusion is vital for the health of Montana’s environment. “‘Our Constitution does not require that dead fish float on the surface of our state’s rivers and streams before its farsighted environmental protections can be invoked,’” he quoted from the 1999 Supreme Court decision, MEIC v. DEQ. “For that, we remain forever grateful and thankful to you.”

You can see a recording of the event on MEIC’s YouTube page.

Clean and Healthful, it’s Your Right, Our Mission.

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

Gov. Gianforte Lets Mining Bad Actor Off the Hook

by Derf Johnson

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nder former Gov. Steve Bullock, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) brought an enforcement action against Hecla Mining Co. CEO Phillips Baker under Montana’s “Bad Actor” law for his failure (and that of his previous company Pegasus) to reclaim hardrock mines in Montana, including the Zortman-Landusky and Beal Mountain mines. These former mine sites are now a major ongoing financial and environmental nightmare for the State of Montana, requiring a fortune of public money and resources in order to stabilize the sites, reclaim and reseed the old workings, and perpetually treat the water tainted with acid mine drainage.

But, in what can only be described as a jaw-dropping and appalling turn of events, the Gianforte Administration filed a motion in late July to dismiss its own prosecution of the Bad Actor statute against Baker. While the Gianforte Administration offered some weak-kneed explanations for its 180-degree pivot, in truth this decision was a political calculation. Gov. Gianforte has made no bones about wanting to see the proposed Rock Creek and Montanore mines, on the flanks of the Cabinet Mountain Wilderness, proceed. Under the Bad Actor enforcement action that DEQ initiated, the work on these permits was suspended and DEQ ultimately would be prohibited from issuing a new permit until Baker compensated the state for the public money spent on reclamation of previous mine sites.

Pegasus Gold had several mines operating in Montana during the 1980s and 1990s, including the Beal Mountain and Zortman-Landusky mines, and removed upwards of $800 million in gold from its various operations. In the late 1990s, Pegasus’ financial health took a nosedive and the

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company declared bankruptcy, leaving Montana with the under-bonded cleanup liabilities at its former mines. To date, over $70 million in public money has been spent in reclamation at the Pegasus Mine, and the bill for perpetual treatment will continue forever. To add insult to injury, the Bad Actor law was enacted in 2001 in direct response to the devastation caused by the Pegasus Gold operations.

The pol lut ion is a lso per manently contaminating the water for the Fort Belknap Indian Community (FBIC). Regarding Gov. Gianforte’s actions, FBIC President Andrew Werk, Jr. recently stated, “It is DEQ and the Gianforte Administration’s responsibility to uphold the law and not allow Hecla Mining and Baker to profit from new mines while the FBIC and other Montana communities continue to struggle with ongoing mining pollution. Their decision to forego enforcement of the law is wrong, plain and simple.”

Gov. Gianforte’s actions raise some serious questions about how our government should function. What value is a law when it can simply

Protecting Montana’s natural environment since 1973.

story continues on pg. 7

MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

NorthWestern Tries to Make the Climate Crisis Worse

by Anne Hedges

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his summer, as NorthWestern Energy pursues a $300 million gas plant — the Laurel Generating Station — a parched Montana burned, roasted, and suffered. When the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released an updated report on the climate crisis, warning that it was ‘code red for humanity,’ the thought that NorthWestern was trying to increase its reliance on fossil fuels was nearly unbearable.

Unfortunately, NorthWestern and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) seem intentionally oblivious to the realities of climate change. Despite nearly 300 messages from MEIC members in opposition to increased air pollution from the plant, DEQ approved an air pollution permit for the 175-megawatt plant in late August. The permit not only lacks enforceable conditions to protect public health, it also lacks any consideration of the climate impacts of NorthWestern’s proposal.

Extracting and burning gas is a real and serious danger to the climate and public health.

NorthWestern’s proposal will negatively impact both. A recent analysis by an MEIC member found that NorthWestern’s Laurel plant could emit 329,356 tons of carbon dioxide each year even if it only generates electricity 50% of the time. That’s equivalent to 33 million gallons of gasoline being burned each year. MEIC is currently weighing its legal options regarding the plant.

Meanwhile, MEIC is continuing to challenge NorthWestern’s request to the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) to increase customers’ electricity bills to pay for the gas plant (and a small battery storage project that is likely to be charged by fossil fuels and not clean energy resources). MEIC and Sierra Club are fortunate to have Earthjustice representing them in this proceeding.

NorthWestern’s application to the PSC is not only incomplete, it is shrouded in secrecy.

NorthWestern’s customers, who pay the bills for all of NorthWestern’s activities, cannot review the most important parts of the application such as what alternative projects NorthWestern rejected and what their costs or their savings to customers might have been. MEIC’s attorneys and experts also cannot see much of NorthWestern’s analysis but they are working to gain access to some of the most critical information NorthWestern omitted from its application. Unfortunately, MEIC’s staff, its members, the media, and decision-makers will remain in the dark about the details.

We will have to await our experts’ reports to the PSC that are due on October 1. Some of their information and analysis will be hidden from the public because it is derived from NorthWestern’s confidential information. But these reports will help all of us better understand the economics and shortcomings of NorthWestern’s plan to burn more fossil fuels and make our summers even more insufferable.

Clean and Healthful, it’s Your Right, Our Mission.

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

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Lazy J South Subdivision:

ontana’s clean water is in serious jeopardy. We are facing a gauntlet of Direct Threat to the Water Quality an exponentially booming population of the Gallatin River and the accompanying development as people from across the country and the world decide to In Montana, most of the planning and relocate to places where peace, solitude, and wild zoning decisions occur at the local government country are still available outside their door (and level, guided by state laws on zoning and the real estate is still relatively cheap). subdivision. However, the Montana Department COVID-19 has also shown that a large of Environmental Quality (DEQ) still retains segment of the workforce can perform all or most the duty for the review and issuance of of their duties remotely, discharge permits into which has opened up the st ate water s (M PDE S ability for people to move per m its). Subdivisions to Montana while keeping are often required to go their big city tech and t h rou gh t he M PDE S finance jobs. per m it ting process in Populat ion g rowth order to demonstrate their will drive the need for compliance with Clean

by Derf Johnson more housing, and land Water Act standards and developers across Montana are seeing an that the development will not have a deleterious enormous financial opportunity in subdividing impact on Montana’s waters. large tracts of land in the hope of cashing in on One recently-issued permit reveals the serious the increased demand. This has placed at risk problems with DEQ’s permitting process and its a number of natural and social attributes, such failure to effectively protect the clean water that as wildlife, landscape connectivity, open space, we all rely upon. The Lazy J South subdivision is a and agricultural productivity.

200+ acre housing and commercial development While the story of growth in Montana and in the resort community of Big Sky and on its impacts on our environment are not new, it the flanks of the world-famous Gallatin River. is clear that we are entering a new and rapidly DEQ’s permit for Lazy J South is the first new growing phase of development. As part of its significant discharge permit authorized in the programmatic priorities, MEIC is bolstering Big Sky area in the last 10 years. An analysis its work on land development and is planning

by Upper Missouri Waterkeeper concluded that, to help address this direct threat to Montana’s should the project proceed, it would cause an quality of life, clean water, and wild landscapes. increase of approximately 20% in the existing

More People, More Poop, More Problems

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Protecting Montana’s natural environment since 1973.

MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER septic discharges to the streams in Big Sky. This potential for increased pollution is especially alarming, as the groundwater in Big Sky and the Gallatin River is already showing serious signs of stress from nutrient pollution.

Notably, in recent years, the Gallatin has suffered from extremely harmful, noxious algae blooms that are in direct response to the rapid and poorlyplanned development at Big Sky. The algal blooms are not just unsightly; The growth has serious negative effects on macroinvertebrate life, decreases the oxygen concentration in the river, and increases the water temperature. In turn, this impacts aquatic life and fish populations.

The only way for DEQ to justify issuing the Lazy J permit was to ignore the current scientific information about the Gallatin and the existing, cumulative impacts from discharges that are already severely damaging the river. What is truly remarkable about the issuance of this sub-standard pollution permit is that community members in Big Sky recognize the pollution problem and have recently made progress in working to protect the Gallatin River with the creation of the Big Sky Canyon Sewer District. The District’s purpose is to encourage discontinuing septic systems and shifting to sewage treatment at centralized facilities. DEQ

and the developers ignored this progress.

The issuance of the pollution permit by DEQ is a failure to comply with the law and protect the Gallatin River. But the practice of ignoring existing, cumulative impacts is a widespread problem at DEQ and is causing water quality problems across the state.

Due to this failure, MEIC and Upper Missouri Waterkeeper have taken DEQ to court to force the agency to conduct a proper analysis of the impacts associated with the development of Lazy J South, as well as other developments across Montana. Upper Missouri Waterkeeper has been an essential partner in bringing this challenge to court. For more information, please visit www. meic.org or www.uppermissouriwaterkeeper.

Bad Actor (continued from page 4)

be ignored for political expediency and personal interest? Why have the legislature go through the cumbersome and time-consuming process of holding hearings, accepting public comment, debating merits, and passing laws that they fully expect to be upheld, if the governor can simply read the political tea leaves at the end of the day?

What precedent does it set for a governor to pick and choose the laws he is willing to enforce?

MEIC and its partners will not let this stand. MEIC intends to challenge the Gianforte

Administration’s decision not to enforce the Bad Actor law in court. The governor does not have the ability to ignore a mandatory duty imposed on his office by the people of the State of Montana through its legislative process. Plain and simple.

We have also set up a petition to Gov. Gianforte, available at bit.ly/BadActorBaker, which requests that he reverse course and enforce the law. We encourage you to let Gov. Gianforte know that you disagree with his decision to let a “Bad Actor” off scot-free.

Clean and Healthful, it’s Your Right, Our Mission.

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

2021 Board of Directors Election

It’s time for the annual MEIC Board of Directors election. This year, we have five incumbent directors and five new candidates running for 10 open seats. Only MEIC members can vote; subscribers and business corporations are not eligible.

To vote by mail: 1) Mark a “yes” or “no” or abstain from voting for each candidate on the enclosed postage-paid card.

2) Mail the card back to MEIC in time to arrive by October 10, 2021.

To vote online: 1) Scan the adjacent QR code with your smartphone’s camera to access the online voting form.

2) Or visit tinyurl.com/MEICBoard and submit your votes there.

3) Please submit online votes by October 10, 2021.

Thank you for your participation.

Zuri Moreno (they/them), Missoula I ’m a com mu n it y organizer and policy specialist living in Missoula. My passion for communit y engagement around issues of social and environmental justice have allowed me many opportunities to work alongside community members who are pushing for change at the local and statewide level. I believe that environmental protection and health is inexplicably linked with racial and social justice movements, as marginalized communities are often the first ones to lose access to clean air and water. I’m keen to join the MEIC Board in order to support the work MEIC is doing in the state, and I will bring years of experience organizing and creating policy change. Additionally, I am committed to creating spaces that are equitable and accessible to all individuals.

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Gary Aitken (he/him), Ovando MEIC’s mission is pretty st raight for ward – to protect our clean and healthful environment.

B ut s t r a i ght f or wa rd doesn’t necessarily mean easy. MEIC’s strengths have always been its depth of knowledge, its attention to detail, and its ability to get things right. The board’s primary job is to help set MEIC’s goals, ensure that the resources necessary to achieve those goals are available, and to generally ensure that the organization stays on track. I am interested in serving on MEIC’s Board because I believe MEIC’s mission is critical to making life on this planet and in this state worthwhile. I hope my analysis and organizational skills and attention to detail will help keep the organization successful. If MEIC succeeds, we all benefit.

Protecting Montana’s natural environment since 1973.

MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

Akilah Lane (she/her), Helena My name is Akilah Lane, and I would like to serve on the MEIC Board because I deeply care about the future of this planet and all categories of life — plant, human, and animal — who call Earth home. I believe that the fight for racial justice and environmental justice are inextricably linked. As we see the nation ravaged by climate change events, we also very clearly see that the communities most impacted by these climate change disasters are communities of color. In order to ensure that more experiences are represented in the climate change movement, the Board of organizations such as MEIC must be diversified to include new lenses with which to view the environmental crises we face. We need people with a varied array of experiences working in collaboration to seek climate solutions so that we can mitigate ongoing harm and find the best possible balances for healthy populations moving forward.

Neal Ullman (he/him), Helena I have a record of protecting clean air and water working in Congress and alongside MEIC’s lobby team as a lobbyist for Montana Conservation Voters.

As a congressional staffer, I led efforts to defend the Clean Water Rule and prevent new industry loopholes in the Clean Air Act. In Helena, I worked with allies to come within a single vote of expanding clean energy by creating aggregate net metering. When I worked at MCV, I successfully urged the organization to join MEIC in a lawsuit designating the Hecla Mining Co. as a “bad actor,” helping to protect water and sacred cultural sites on the Flathead Indian Reservation. I currently work in clean transportation to expand the use of alternate fuels and electric vehicles. I’m excited to bring my experiences to MEIC’s Board and look forward to addressing climate change, expanding clean energy, and protecting Montana’s streams and rivers.

Rae Deernose Howe

(she/her), Baachiihachke or Long Pine, Crow Reservation My colonized name is Raeanna Deernose Howe. iitáa dáakuash, given by my great-great-grandmother Agnes Yellowtail Deernose, means Always has a Good Place to Be. My great-grandmother, Aloe Vera Mae, they called her, raised me and comes with so many sisters. I had the privilege to be around my great-grandmothers and hear their traditional ecological knowledge (TEK).

My grandma Alma Hogan Snell took me around the land, told me to eat this, smell this, this is good for your grandma, or this is good to keep certain bugs away. This knowledge and presence of old timers with true relation to the land positions me as a good fit for this Board.

My family has shared oral histories of TEK from places they have existed. We must listen to the land and its needs. We lack true reciprocity in our relation, and we are reminded by our climate’s crises.

Clean and Healthful, it’s Your Right, Our Mission.

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

Malcolm Gilbert

Charles Besancon

(he/him), Missoula Mont a n a i s t r u ly the Treasure State. The treasures are abundant: we are blessed with living in not only the most beautiful state, but one with the cleanest water, biggest wild places, and best overall quality of life. What may be surprising is that Montana has one of the most progressive constitutions in the nation. Article XIII, Section 3, of Montana’s Constitution provides Montanans with the “fundamental right to a clean and healthful environment.” MEIC’s ambitious and principled work program to uphold the Constitution through protection and restoration of Montana’s natural environment and to promote clean energy development attracted me to join the Board.

Madison Hebner (she/her), Bozeman I have been lucky to call Montana my home for the majority of my youth, spending my free time utilizing Montana’s clean waters, endless backcountry, and magnificent peaks for fishing, hiking, and skiing. My time spent as a statewide legislative organizer and lobbyist for climate justice-related issues with Forward Montana during the 2021 Legislative Session only furthered my passion for expanding clean energy and maintaining Montana’s clean air, land, and water. This work shed light on the importance of considering the economic impacts that environmental policies can have on communities and racial inequities that encompass the climate movement. This emphasis is what has fueled my current work in pursuing a M.S. in Health Sciences with a focus on Molecular Medicine and Public Health at Montana State University in Bozeman. I hope to bring a zealous, young perspective to MEIC’s Board and better connect my peers to statewide environmental activism.

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(he/him), Helena MEIC helped shape my worldview from the start, but after working on the staff during the 2019 Legislative Session, I really began to form my own appreciation for what’s at stake in Montana’s future. The places that I ski, paddle, and play with my friends and family are under greater stress than ever. So are the communities that depend on them for their livelihoods and who work tirelessly to protect them. MEIC is in the trenches on key issues, and I have been proud to be on the Board for the last two years, helping shape their outcomes. I started law school in Missoula last year so that I can be a better and better ally — I’m looking forward to keeping at it with MEIC through the process. Onward!

Bruce Bender (he/him), Missoula I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve on the MEIC Board for the past four years. I continue to be inspired by the qua l it y and dedication of the staff and other board members.

MEIC has been involved in the key water quality and climate change issues in both the courts and state legislature. Additionally, it has been instrumental in exposing NorthWestern Energy’s efforts to stymie energy renewables.

My main issue is supporting wind and solar energy while reducing coal and natural gas usage. MEIC is on the leading edge of these efforts. I want to continue being supportive of these efforts by serving again on the MEIC Board.

Not sure if you’re a current member?

Email jwintersteen@meic.org to check the status of your membership.

Protecting Montana’s natural environment since 1973.

MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

Mel Griffin Leaves MEIC

by Katy Spence

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hen Mel started working for MEIC in 2014, she didn’t know much about Montana. She moved to Helena from Minneapolis in 2012 for a two-year artist residency at the Archie Bray Foundation. A friend in the art community told her about a job with an environmental nonprofit, and she thought it sounded like a good balance for her creative pursuits.

She didn’t realize she was getting a family.

“When I think about my time here, I came in knowing very little about the environmental movement in Montana,” Mel said. “MEIC members and staff helped me to build a community in a new place. It wasn’t just work, it was personal.”

On one memorable trip to Missoula, Mel visited Bob and Ellen Knight. Although they missed lunch by several hours, Bob insisted on sending Mel with some homemade chicken soup.

She received kindnesses such as this countless times. Her theory is that it’s what makes MEIC members special: they’re friendly, caring people who give because it’s part of who they are.

Mel’s departure comes during a year of many staffing changes for MEIC (see pg. 22 to meet our newest staff member), but it’s because of the organization’s strong financial standing and leadership that Mel felt comfortable moving on to pursue her own dream.

When she started at MEIC, the country was still pulling itself out of an economic crisis.

Former Executive Director Jim Jensen and current Finance Manager Adam McLane carefully steered MEIC through lean years and had the foresight to pull Mel into a role that would build lasting relationships between staff

and members.

“Now that we have this wonderful foundation of financial stability, our membership is growing and more engaged than ever,” Mel said. “I’m so excited to find out what will come next.”

Mel a l s o poi nt ed to M E IC ’s new co directorship as the start of a strong chapter for MEIC. “Cari is so inclusive and open, but she’s also tough,” Mel said. “Cari’s got the vision to make Anne’s expertise even more effective and will help MEIC to build a stronger and more engaging movement.”

After seven years as MEIC’s Special Projects director, Mel left to pursue her longtime goal of becoming a social worker and a therapist.

However, it won’t be the last you’ll hear of her: she’s currently planning to run for the MEIC Board of Directors in the future.

Mel wanted to say “Thank you” to all the members — and friends — she’s worked with through the years, adding that MEIC couldn’t do what it does without its members.

“When we call for them to respond, they respond because they want to,” Mel said. “When they give, they’re giving a piece of themselves.

They give energy as well as money. You can feel how much they care. And they even answer the phone when you call them.”

One of Mel’s first projects at MEIC was working with local graphic designer Nikki Simon to create the “Last Best Place” license plate, complete with the Smith River, Lone Peak, and a grizzly bear. The process to get the plate created and available presented a good creative challenge for Mel in her first months. Consider getting an MEIC plate to honor Mel’s legacy!

Clean and Healthful, it’s Your Right, Our Mission.

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

A Neglected Climate Topic:

Buildings

by Conor Ploeger

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s people move to Montana in droves, housing demand has increased aggressively and housing affordability seems to be a thing of the past. Builders are eager to capitalize on this demand and construct houses as quickly — and cheaply — as possible. Now, more than ever, it’s crucial for Montana to have up-to-date building codes to reduce carbon emissions and help Montanans to save money on their utility bills. Fortunately, the Montana Department of Labor & Industry is considering adopting updated codes this fall.

Buildings account for almost one-third of global carbon emissions. In the U.S., more than 40% of total energy use is for heating and cooling buildings, and residential and commercial buildings are responsible for about 13% of greenhouse gas emissions. When a building or home is built or renovated, building codes determine how much energy that building will need annually.

Energy-efficient homes and buildings also allow owners to save on operating costs. By providing more natural light, better ventilation, and better temperature control in their homes and buildings, owners can save money on costly utility bills.

It is also cheaper to build energy-efficient buildings from the outset, rather than retrofit them down the line. Replacing a building’s lighting design, improving the insulation, or plumbing is often pricey and time-consuming.

The cost and time of retrofit projects only increase

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if the building is older, because the building was never designed to accommodate modern technologies.

The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) provides a model for energy codes designed with energy efficiency in mind. The energy codes modeled after the IECC include various requirements such as improved insulation, energy-efficient windows, and better systems to heat or cool a home or business. The IECC updates its recommendations every three years to adapt to advancements in technology and research, and the most recent recommendations were published this year.

Most states adopt the IECC as their statewide energy code, including Montana. Here, local building codes fall under the jurisdiction of the Montana Building Codes Bureau at the Department of Labor. Once the department adopts the IECC, local governments may then choose to enforce the building energy codes.

The 2021 IECC offers many improvements

Protecting Montana’s natural environment since 1973.

MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER designed to bolster local energy code. These improvements include: increasing lighting efficiency; increasing the R-value for ceilings (which improves the insulation in homes); and requiring measures that ensure that buildings are ready to switch to electricity rather than gas for water and space heating.

After three years of negotiations, the department finally adopted the 2018 IECC earlier this year. That slow and arduous process has inspired the Department of Labor to commit to adopting the codes the year they are published in the future.

If you are a homeowner or renter, reach out to the Department of Labor to let them know how

much you would appreciate more energy-efficient buildings. With such rapid population growth, it’s important to strike while the iron is hot to reduce carbon emissions and save Montanans some money in the process.

With up-to-date energy codes, future homeowners and first-time homebuyers will be able to confidently purchase a home in Montana knowing that their home has met current standards. Renters will also benefit from higherquality housing and reduced utility bills. We can all benefit from more energy-efficient buildings.

Visit meic.org/building-codes or email cploeger@meic.org to find out how you can do more.

DEQ Reduces Colstrip Coal Ash Bond, Opens the Door to a Weaker Cleanup Plan

by Anne Hedges

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efore Gov. Bullock left office, he made a belated but positive decision to require the owners of Units 1 & 2 of the Colstrip Power Plant to thoroughly clean up their coal ash mess. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) required the owners to excavate the toxic coal ash waste — which sits in the groundwater table — and move it to a safer dry location.

Plant operator and one of the two owners of Units 1 & 2, Talen Montana, spent years trying to convince DEQ to allow it to leave the waste in place. DEQ eventually did the right thing; however, its delay in making a decision allowed Talen to challenge the decision under the Gianforte Administration. Talen objected to DEQ’s $285 million bond and to the cleanup plan. After months of negotiations, DEQ stuck with the existing cleanup plan, but allowed

Talen to develop a different cleanup proposal for consideration. Then DEQ reduced the bond to $163 million — a $122 million reduction.

Recent financial news reports say that Talen is facing a debt load of $4 billion. If Talen declares bankruptcy, as anticipated by some financial analysts, the State of Montana may need pay to clean up the toxic mess on a shoestring budget and waste taxpayer resources in bankruptcy court.

That concern, combined with DEQ allowing Talen to continue its efforts to weaken the cleanup decision, means permanent cleanup at the site remains uncertain.

Clean and Healthful, it’s Your Right, Our Mission.

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

Protect and Enhance Montana’s Economy: Don’t Mine the Headwaters of the Smith

by William S. Broadbent, Sr.

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hile not of the gun-slinging Wild West lore, there is a battle being waged in Montana. The future of the Smith River and the health of the surrounding water quality and habitat is at stake. If Montanans lose, the casualty will be the natural resources that set Montana apart.

In April, Montana green-lighted construction of the Black Butte copper mine north of White Sulphur Springs. This location is troublesome as it is adjacent to and directly underneath Sheep Creek, the most important tributary for the Smith.

Construction and mining will drag over multiple years, but it will immediately impact the fragile freshwater habitat and potentially degrade the resource for generations. Even with modern mining techniques, including the disposal of contaminated water and waste rock in lined storage facilities, it is impossible to guarantee zero effects to the ecosystem, especially because the mine is proposed in sulfide minerals, which

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often lead to acid mine drainage.

In keeping with a pattern of environmental decisions in the West, risks around permanent environmental (and economic) destruction are being minimized to the perceived financial gains that come in the first years of a project.

The Smith River runs 125 miles from White Sulphur Springs, eventually spilling into the Missouri River near Ulm. The river is unique in many ways: it requires a permit to float, has limited points of entry and exit, and boasts a scenic diversity unmatched by any river in the state and, arguably, the country.

Thousands enjoy the Smith River each year, relying on small campsites along the banks during multi-day visits, adjacent to world-class fly-fishing. The river is full of brown and rainbow trout and supports a diverse ecosystem of animals and plants. I’ve had the good fortune to float the Smith on several occasions, and I’ll cherish those memories forever.

The economic benefits from recreation on an intact Smith River ecosystem are estimated

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

by American Rivers to be $10 million in annual income to outfitters and surrounding communities. The financial impact is far greater when considering the longevity and durability of earnings from that stream (the Smith is a forever asset) and the money multiplier effect those dollars have over extended periods of time, not to mention the valuable, unquantifiable benefits from introducing visitors to a piece of natural beauty unrivaled in our country.

Stated bluntly, the Smith River is a competitive advantage for Montana. Anything that jeopardizes that advantage should not be taken lightly.

Unfortunately, a copper mine is not unique in the West. The “free and open” policy supported in the 1872 Mining Act ensured thousands of mines throughout the West. These small towns and communities confronted the economic fallout that comes from abandoned and environmentallycompromised mines.

Supporters of the Black Butte mine development are fixated on the tangible benefits that come with any significant construction project: the creation of 240 full-time jobs, the potential for mine expansion beyond the original site, tax revenue to the state, and the promise of significant financial return well above cost of capital for investors.

This constituency argues the downside case is both exaggerated and highly unlikely. These same arguments were used to push through projects such as Zortman-Landusky, Montana Tunnels, and the Beal Mountain Mine (to name a few), which all had devastating economic and environmental impacts to the state and its residents.

One can be pro-environment and proeconomic development — the two concepts are not mutually exclusive.

While economic arguments are the most palpable, these multi-year forecasts are inherently flawed, underestimating the durability of the earnings stream of environmental assets. What value is given to clean water and air on visitor growth and land value in a world where these assets are shrinking across communities? What is the present value of visitation over more than 50 years?

Even if the measurable economic impact from mining and tourism is comparable, shouldn’t the earnings multiple applied to the revenue stream generated by sustainable practices, such as fishing and camping, be significantly higher than the multiple applied to revenue generated from industrial practices, many of which generate negative externalities and have a limited timespan?

Private property rights should be respected at all costs, and while the current mine plan would sit on private ranchland, the rights of the landowners in the surrounding area and downriver must also be considered.

Finally, not all mines pose such high risks.

Take the Stillwater Mine near Billings, which is located in a much more favorable ore body and less likely to result in acid mine drainage.

Decisions around the Smith River provide a dangerous precedent for land and natural resource development across our country. Central Montana, and the state-at-large, need a more open, rigorous debate of these issues.

The April 2020 approval of the project in the midst of the Covid-19 national health crisis is ironic. The pandemic has reinforced issues of public health, land development, and the value of social distance. At a time when open space and domestic natural resources should be protected, the development of the Smith River risks the longevity of Montana’s global competitive advantage and is a disservice to the residents and communities that rely on the financial and recreational support the river provides.

William S. Broadbent, Sr., is coowner of the Double Cross Land and Cattle Company, LLC, in central Montana.

Photos

by Grant McClintock

Clean and Healthful, it’s Your Right, Our Mission.

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

by Conor Ploeger

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Nuclear Energy: Promising Future or Unnecessary Distraction?

iscussions regarding nuclear energy are heating up. As more Americans recognize the urgency of the climate crisis, they also start to worry about how we can decarbonize the energy system as quickly as experts say is necessary. While wind, solar, storage, and advances in transmission and efficiency technologies continue to be popular and surprise us with their developments, there are still those who remain skeptical that these sources will be able to meet all of our energy needs. That’s where proponents of nuclear energy come in.

Billionaires such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have spent the past few years advocating for nuclear energy, proposing it as one of the most practical solutions to the climate crisis. They discuss the possibilities of “advanced” nuclear reactors and how the size of the new generation of nuclear technology allows for them to be stored beneath the surface — keeping them out of harm’s way. In some respects, nuclear energy has come a long way in the last 50 years, but in some ways, it has not.

Nuclear projects tend to be exceptionally more costly than renewables, and the hazards of

mining, transport, and waste storage are significant. While the climate crisis is daunting, pursuing nuclear energy in Montana or anywhere should be met with healthy skepticism.

Substantial Roadblocks

The advanced nuclear reactors that are being advertised still use radioactive substances such as uranium as a source of fuel, the mining and disposal of which remain a serious problem. There is no long-term storage solution for uranium waste in the U.S. Uranium waste remains radioactive for hundreds of thousands or, for some types of uranium, millions of years, and the dangers posed by that waste stream can be extreme.

Groundwater contamination, irradiated foliage and wildlife, and adverse effects on human health are just some of the consequences that arise when nuclear waste is improperly stored. Additionally, it remains uncertain if the new generation of nuclear technology advertised will be ready in time. Current estimates suggest that these plants might be operational by the 2030s. That might be too little too late when it comes to the climate crisis.

Myths and Facts: The Wyoming Nuclear Project Earlier this summer, TerraPower, PacfiCorp, and the Wyoming governor’s office announced a partnership to install “advanced” nuclear reactors in Wyoming. This partnership will allow the companies to explore the potential of using nuclear reactors that rely on molten salt (i.e., thorium) to cool down the uranium-powered reactors. This technology, known as Natrium, is starting to gain some traction, but is it too good to be true…?

Myth: Natrium reactors are ready now for commercial use.

Fact: This is not true. The Wyoming reactors are a “demonstration project” meant to determine the viability of using Natrium reactors commercially in the future. In fact, experts argue that reactors that rely on molten salt will not be ready for decades.

Myth: The plant will only cost $1 billion.

Fact: This is not true. Nuclear power plants always cost more than initial estimates. Expect this project to cost billions more than was originally estimated.

Myth: The plant will be fully operational in seven years.

Fact: This is a very optimistic estimate. Even after the Navy explored molten salt reactors in the 1960s and 1970s, advanced nuclear reactors are still in the prototype stage. The industry has yet to produce reactors that are readily available for commercial use.

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER project seems destined to remain controversial and increasingly expensive for Utah taxpayers throughout the 2020s.

Proponents argue that the newest generation of nuclear technology will not rely solely on uranium and instead will use molten salt to cool down the reactors or even recycle used uranium for energy.

However, none of that technology is ready for commercial use and will likely remain in testing until, at the very least, the end of the decade.

A NuScale Problem

Nuclear in Montana?

Even the reactors that rely on uranium have considerable problems that have yet to be addressed.

For example, NuScale is trying to develop a new type of small modular reactor to replace aging coal plants. While this sounds amazing in theory, the reality has been rife with problems.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded more than $1 billion to NuScale and the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) to construct 12 small modular reactors in Idaho. Since awarding NuScale that money, various municipalities from Utah have left the project because it is now projected to cost $2 billion more than advertised.

Subsequently, NuScale announced that it plans to reduce the number of installed reactors from 12 to six, likely driving the price up even further on a per megawatt basis. And, like most nuclear projects, the UAMPS project has already announced numerous delays. Coupled with the fact that NuScale has yet to produce a working model that will demonstrate just how the technology works, the UAMPS

In 1978, Montana Ballot initiative 80 (I-80) passed with an overwhelming two-thirds of the vote.

I-80 gave Montanans the right to vote on any new nuclear facility in the state and provided important regulatory safeguards. The 2021 Legislature repealed I-80 despite strong public outcry. In August 2021, a ballot initiative was proposed to reinstate I-80.

In short, this issue remains a hot topic.

I n t he me a nt i me , Mont a n a’s leg i s l at ive Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee (ETIC) intends to study the potential for nuclear energy in our state, particularly at Colstrip. Republican members of ETIC want to devote most of the committee’s time to studying nuclear energy, but Democratic members want to consider other energy solutions as well.

Despite promises and prospects, advanced nuclear energy is not likely to be ready in time to address the climate crisis. The former chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Allison Macfarlane, told WyoFile in July, “I‘m a realist and a pragmatist, I’m a scientist, I’m a geologist by training, and it’s just not possible for nuclear to have any kind of significant impact on reducing climate change in the next 20 years.”

MEIC will be closely monitoring the ETIC debates on nuclear energy over the next year. Keep your eye on your inbox and our social media for the latest updates and ways you can help.

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

The Long Battle to Move Beyond Coal

by Anne Hedges

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s the demand for coal wanes, coal mines close, and coal companies declare bankruptcy, it is more important than ever that state and federal agencies impose adequate cleanup bonds on the companies and force them to comply with environmental laws. Pressuring the agencies to do this requires persistent efforts, but MEIC and its allies are making slow and steady progress.

The Decker Mine on the banks of the Tongue River reservoir is now bankrupt. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) repeatedly assured MEIC that the mine had sufficient reclamation bonds to protect downstream waters. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be any current reclamation work happening to keep contaminated pond water out of area waterways. MEIC will continue to bird-dog DEQ to make sure water quality in the vicinity is protected.

Montana’s largest coal mine, the Spring Creek Mine, just north of the Tongue River reservoir, has slipped through regulatory cracks for years. After successful litigation by MEIC and WildEarth Guardians, the federal government agreed to produce a first-ever environmental impact statement (EIS) for this mine. Unfortunately, the mine is run by a company of former failed-mining executives who bamboozled the Navajo Tribe by buying the mine without Tribal government permission, and they now refuse to disclose the mine’s financial situation. While the federal government prepares the EIS, a federal court is considering whether to allow the company to continue to mine in the expanded area. The burning of the coal mined from the expansion area would result in the release of about 140 million tons of carbon dioxide.

The Bull Mountain Mine north of Roundup is Montana’s only underground coal mine, and a

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proposed expansion would make it the nation’s largest underground mine. The expansion was approved by DEQ and the federal government without meaningful consideration of impacts to water resources, endangered species, or the climate. The coal from this expansion area would result in the release of approximately 240 million tons of carbon dioxide. MEIC continues to challenge the expansion in state and federal courts.

The Rosebud Mine, the coal from which fuels the Colstrip power plant, has dewatered and contaminated area streams. The power plant emits about 10 million tons of carbon dioxide each year. MEIC is challenging two expansions of the mine in state and federal courts, and is closely monitoring an extremely large proposed expansion. Fortunately, DEQ just refused to permit a large area of the proposed expansion because of impacts to water quality. DEQ’s decision tracks the arguments MEIC has made for years regarding the mine’s impact on area waters.

Finally, after years of litigation, the federal government has agreed to review its coal leasing program on public lands. Last year, over 250 million tons of coal were mined on federal public lands, about half of nationwide production, yet the government hasn’t updated its environmental and financial analysis of the program since the early 1980s. President Obama put a moratorium on coal leasing on federal lands and initiated a study of the leasing program. Then Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke in the Trump Administration eliminated the moratorium and analysis, but a federal court found Sec. Zinke didn’t have the authority to do so. The Biden Administration has now agreed to review the program and will accept public comments until September 20, 2021. MEIC will alert you soon on how to comment.

Shiloh Hernandez, formerly with Western Environmental Law Center and now with Earthjustice, represents MEIC and its allies in all of these mining proceedings except the coal leasing moratorium, in which we are represented

by Earthjustice attorneys Jenny Harbine and Amanda Galvan.

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

Member Spotlight: Winona Bateman

by Katy Spence

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hen Winona Bateman read the infamous “1.5 Degree” report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2018, she said it was like receiving a wake-up call.

“In a 24-hour period, I became a climate activist,” she said. Winona especially saw the need for ways to engage families who might not know how or have time to plug into a movement. So in 2019, she founded Families for a Livable Climate, an organization to help create communities for climate action in western Montana.

One recent Families event focused on how to “Decarbonize Your Money.” A financial expert helped attendees learn how to re-invest their money away from fossil fuel companies while ensuring they remain financially secure. Winona said about $500,000 was moved away from fossil fuel company stocks as a result of that event.

Winona said a key component of Families’ work is having individual conversations to get to know what people are interested in and connect them to work that’s already happening, whether it’s a Families resource or another climate organization listed on the Families’ website, such as MEIC. People with busy families can feel overwhelmed and not know where to start but that doesn’t mean

What’s your motivating issue?

My motivating issue is ensuring a livable future for all.

Why I belong to MEIC: MEIC is a powerhouse of important actions and people who care.

What I want to pass on: Love, not war.

they don’t want to be involved. Winona said there’s a gap to bridge between individual action and systemic change “Like many people, I was doing ‘all the right things,’ but there’s a whole other level of engagement and change that needs to happen,” she said. “I’m really interested in getting people engaged and focusing on the companies who knew what their impact on the climate would be and then did it anyway.”

Winona said MEIC’s policy work is vital in pushing for that wider systemic change.

“MEIC cares and is a great resource for us to help people tap into and make a difference on the policy level,” she said. In June, MEIC had the pleasure of hosting a social hour following the Montana Families Climate Summit, of which Families for a Livable Climate was an organizer.

Originally from North Dakota, Winona has lived in Montana since 2003. She lives with her husband John, their seven-year-old daughter, and three dogs in Missoula. A self-described “urban farmer,” Winona said her family is passionate about reducing their impact at home: growing most of their food, providing habitat for pollinators, and using solar panels to produce electricity. So far in 2021, her family has only had to pay NorthWestern Energy for electricity for two months, which we heartily applaud.

Clean and Healthful, it’s Your Right, Our Mission.

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

The Environmental Injustices of Montana’s Mining Laws

by Derf Johnson

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is not easy but, if conducted properly, can help to avoid the worst environmental outcomes of the mining activity.

Montana does have strong public participation and “right-to-know” provisions in its Constitution that have assisted and bolstered MEIC in its work to fight the most egregious mining proposals.

However, the way in which the State of Montana conducts the permitting and oversight of hardrock mines receives an F grade when it comes to environmental justice.

Montana mining laws do not provide for the fair treatment and protection of all Montanans, regardless of their background, from the worst impacts associated with mining. In fact, it’s clear that the mining laws and regulations on the books encourage, rather than prohibit, inequity.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines the concept of “environmental justice” as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” Only recently have the principles of environmental justice begun to be incorporated into federal laws and regulations. A number of states are following suit. Notably, though, no Rocky Mountain state, and that includes Montana, has adopted specific environmental justice laws or principles.

To expand upon that definition, Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice has noted that “certain groups in society bear unequal environmental and economic burdens such as poor air and water quality, as well as unhealthy living Acid mine sludge settles at the Swift Gulch Treatment Plant. The conditions resulting from industrial, sludge will be buried at the Landusky site. Photo by Karl Puckett. municipal, and commercial operations and/ ining is a dirty business. There’s really no way around it. Mitigation activities can certainly be incorporated into mining plans, but these steps often only reduce, not eliminate, mining’s environmental impacts and damage.

The fact is that extracting large volumes of minerals from the earth is energy-intensive, displaces all other activities during the mining process, involves exposure of water to toxins, and generates enormous amounts of waste. These are unfortunate realities. Where mines are permitted and how they are regulated, including the specific environmental and permitting standards that are used, are absolutely critical in deciding how we obtain the metals needed to power modern society and the ever-growing clean energy sector.

The process for permitting mines, including its public involvement component, is arguably just as important as the substantive environmental standards. Developing a fair and equitable process that adequately informs and involves the public

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

or federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies.” While procedures can be developed that involve and treat all people fairly, the reality often means that communities with less representation, money, or influence suffer the environmental impacts of mining and other activities more than those with more power.

In part, this is why real life examples abound in Montana of the failure to live up to these human rights standards. Most, if not all, of the environmental catastrophes in Montana have an environmental justice story woven in and around them. Two recent examples involving MEIC’s work come to mind. In both cases, we are working for a more fair and meaningful process in environmental decision making, whether through state laws requiring such consideration or in individual permitting decisions.

Blue Arc Exploration

Since the bankruptcy of Pegasus Gold in the late 1990s, the defunct Zortman-Landusky mines in north-central Montana have been held up as an ugly poster child for how to not permit and conduct mining and reclamation activities. The devastation caused by Pegasus in the Little Rockies

Dust from a blast at Montana Resources’ openpit mine in 2018. Photo by Meagan Thompson.

will live in infamy as one of Montana’s most egregious environmental disasters during the last century (for more background on ZortmanLandusky, see the “Bad Actor” story on pg. 4).

Tens of millions of public dollars have been spent in attempting to address the ongoing pollution problem at Zortman-Landusky, which will require treatment in perpetuity and has poisoned a water source for the Fort Belknap Tribe.

A very small and under-capitalized company known as Blue Arc, based in Bozeman, recently began exploration activities at the Zortman reclamation site, with the explicit authorization of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). This approval was given by DEQ without any consultation of, or consent by, the Fort Belknap Tribe, which is now an unwitting party to yet another set of risks and dangers associated with mining in the Little Rockies. The fact that DEQ did not believe that it was appropriate or required to consult the Fort Belknap Tribe on new mining activities at Zortman, and let alone receive consent from the Tribe, speaks volumes about the inequity of mining laws in Montana.

story continues on pg. 22

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MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

I

Meet Julie Wintersteen

am incredibly honored to be a member of the MEIC team! I was born and raised in the West and am in love with the Western landscape. It’s my sanctuary and my grounding place and, as such, I am excited to be able to join the fight for the protection of the places I hold dear.

I have a background in earth sciences, earning both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Montana State University. My focus of study was biogeography, and in particular, the climatic and land use changes over the years that affect the lower timberline in the Madison range.

Historical data clearly illustrated to me how human actions lead to environmental changes and, if not recognized and addressed, lead to irreversible changes. That knowledge has been driving me ever since.

More recently, I have been fostering relationships, developing strategies and working with donors and alumni for a college at MSU. I am eager to bring those skills to MEIC and do what I can to increase MEIC’s impact in Montana and the West. I have been an active member of Trout Unlimited in Livingston and have fought for clean water and healthy fisheries in the Yellowstone watershed.

I’m happy to be a part of MEIC and look forward to getting to work!

Environmental Injustices (continued from page 21)

Butte’s Greeley Neighborhood

Butte is no stranger to mining nor to the serious environmental impacts associated with both historic and modern operations. Montana Resources currently operates an open-pit operation in Butte that is causing impacts to the air quality for the Greeley Neighborhood, one of Butte’s most historic and lowest income neighborhoods that is directly adjacent to the mine.

Specifically, the mine generates an enormous amount of dust associated with the blasting, hauling, and crushing of the ore. The debate is ongoing as to whether the dust is a mere irritant or represents a much more substantial health threat.

Residents of the Greeley neighborhood believe it is far more than a minor nuisance.

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In 2020, 60% of Greeley residents were living at the poverty level. They have brought their concerns in numerous forums and fashions to the Butte-Silver Bow government, as well as to DEQ. Responses have been largely pro forma, including the health impacts of the dust and holding community forums. What hasn’t happened? Anything at the mine in response to reasonable requests by the Greeley residents to address, abate, and mitigate the activities that are harming a vulnerable population.

While Butte is a heavily industrialized area with a long history of mining, its land and its people should not be treated as a sacrifice zone and a sacrifice population.

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What Do a Pandemic and the Climate Crisis Have in Common?

by Cari Kimball

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’m not sure about you, but when I read news about the pandemic or the climate crisis, I often cycle through a trajectory of feelings, from alarm to frustration and ultimately to anger. The longer I look, the more I notice commonalities between the pandemic and the climate crisis.

In general, we know what prevents the coronaviruses’ spread: ventilation, spacing, masking, and vaccines. The American Academy of Pediatrics, Center for Disease Control, and every other public health institution and expert in the nation recommend these measures, which should not be controversial.

But disinformation campaigns have muddied the waters. Some school districts where students are mostly unvaccinated aren’t even requiring masks in elementary schools. It’s maddening to see policy decisions likely to result in many people needlessly getting sick and even dying.

Similarly, we know that the climate crisis is real and caused by greenhouse gas emissions and a warming climate. Research indicates we need to stop burning fossil fuels yesterday. But for decades, disinformation has delayed critical progress.

In Februar y 2021, biased media coverage blamed the Texas power outages on renewable energy failures. In reality, coal piles and gas lines froze, and deferred investments in grid maintenance and weatherization weakened the system. Icecovered wind turbines were a small part of a big problem, but fossil fuel interests jumped to fearmongering. Within a day,

we heard Montana legislators point to disinformation from Texas to justify continued coal and gas reliance that deepens the climate crisis.

As with COVID-19, we saw disinformation contributing to decisions that generate more suffering than if rigorous science was informing policy.

FDA officials recently indicated that vaccines for kids under 11 likely won’t come until this winter. Oofda. Pandemic survival is more of a marathon than a sprint.

But we’ve seen endurance pay off for MEIC so many times over the years. That was the case recently when we learned that Montana DEQ denied part of a Rosebud Coal Mine expansion permit. The decision will keep 66 million tons of coal in the ground- that’s more than 138 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, more than the annual emissions of 16 million homes. Like most MEIC wins, this victory represents years of persistent work.

At times during pandemic life, going it alone sounds easier. If I’m just managing my immediate family pod, I don’t have to accommodate anyone else’s schedule, priorities, or COVID-19 risk analysis!

But, dang, having friends and family to troubleshoot, vent, commiserate, and play with is what has kept me afloat so far. That has always been true in MEIC’s climate action work: When the going gets tough, we lean on one another. Our Board, staff, members, and partners make it possible (and downright enjoyable!). So, thank you for contributing your time, energy, talent, and resources to this pivotal work. We simply cannot do it without you.

Clean and Healthful, it’s Your Right, Our Mission.

MEIC is a nonprofit environmental advocate whose purpose is to protect Montana’s clean and healthful environment.

Board President: Kathy Juedeman Board Members: Gary Aitken Bruce Bender Charles Besancon Skye Borden Malcolm Gilbert Steve Gilbert Diana Hammer Roger Sullivan Beth Taylor Wilson Neal Ullman MEIC Staff: Anne Hedges Derf Johnson Cari Kimball Adam McLane Melissa Nootz Conor Ploeger Katy Spence Julie Wintersteen

P.O. Box 1184 Helena, MT 59624 P.O. Box 1375 Missoula, MT 59806 (406) 443-2520 www.meic.org meic@meic.org

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