Lesley Clark

The U.S. Court of Appeals in D.C. scrutinized the Biden administration’s carbon emissions rule for power plants, signaling potential challenges ahead.

The justices puzzled over the extent to which agencies can limit the scope of climate and environment reviews for projects like highways and pipelines.

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar said more than two dozen lawsuits from local governments against the oil industry should move forward in state court.

Environmentalists and local officials say voters were misled about a ballot referendum that protects the gas industry.

The justices will decide whether trade groups have the power to sue over the state’s long-held authority to set stricter auto emissions standards than the federal government.

Critics of the state’s power to set stricter air pollution standards than the federal government say they hope the justices will address the issue in the future.

The justices will consider a more limited question on legal procedure in a separate but related case.

Gov. Greg Gianforte said he spoke last week to Chris Wright, the president-elect’s pick to head the Department of Energy.

The state’s high court ruled that Montana officials violated the constitutional rights to a healthy environment by expanding fossil fuel production.

Young climate activists claim that the government is violating their rights to a clean and healthful environment.