Hundreds of individuals gathered at the Montana Capitol to urge lawmakers to pass bills in response to the landmark Held v. Montana ruling, which requires the state to consider climate impacts in environmental assessments. The ruling was a result of a case where 16 young people sued the state for failing to act on climate change. Livingston high school student Ripley Cunningham, the emcee of the event, expressed fear for the future and emphasized the need for collective action. Senate President Matt Regier criticized the ruling, stating that the judiciary overstepped its bounds. Several bills have been introduced in response to the Held decision, aiming to align state code with the ruling and protect the environment for future generations. However, some proposed bills may weaken air quality standards or hinder legal challenges to environmental reviews. Despite opposition, experts like University of Montana professor Constance Van Kley emphasize the importance of considering climate impacts in decision-making. Additional bills are expected to be introduced in the coming weeks to address changes to the Montana Environmental Policy Act.
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