Montana Environmental Information Center - MEIC

06/23/2026

Falcon Copper, a mining company in Deer Lodge, has submitted a proposal to do some exploratory mining on almost 11,000 acres of public land. Currently no public hearing is planned and there's been a rushed comment period that ends July 2. MEIC's Derf Johnson said, “It’s really alarming that the Forest Service is trying to sneak this through with a 30-day comment period and no public hearing. The Forest Service should slow down and make sure that the process is adequate for a project of this size.”

The nearly 11,000-acre Blue Copper proposal from Falcon Copper Corporation would explore for copper, gold, silver, tungsten and other materials.

06/22/2026

There's a new kind of energy source that's heating up: enhanced geothermal. The potential is huge, with the International Energy Agency estimating that geothermal "could provide 15 percent of the world's energy needs by 2050." Geothermal is also readily available, making it a good complement to wind and solar power.
MEIC is coordinating with members of the Energy and Technology Interim Committee (ETIC) as they draft legislation that could pave the way for enhanced geothermal clean energy development in Montana while establishing important regulatory guardrails to protect the environment and Montanans.

A new wave of start-ups are trying to harvest emissions-free energy from inside the Earth, but the industry still faces significant challenges.

06/18/2026

Starting on July 1, Montanans' electricity bills are set to increase. “It’s outrageous that in the midst of the current affordability crisis, NorthWestern would quietly ratchet up our electricity rates even further,” says MEIC's Nick Fitzmaurice. There are cleaner, cheaper power sources than coal as NorthWestern Energy claims — such as solar and wind.

Your power bill is slated to go up again if you’re a NorthWestern Energy customer in a quarterly filing made earlier this month.

06/18/2026

Join MEIC at Wild Montana's Bands for Lands — a summer concert series at the historic Bluestone building in Helena — that brings together live music, local beer, and a shared love for Montana’s wild places.

On July 20, MEIC and Prickly Pear Land Trust are partnering with Wild Montana for the evening to celebrate the lands and communities we’re working to protect. We’ll gather for good tunes from MEIC’s very own, Nick Fitzmaurice, enjoy cold drinks and good food, and a chance to chat with MEIC and Prickly Pear Land Trust!

LIVE MUSIC FROM NICK FITZMAURICE 6-8 P.M. ON JULY 20. FREE & FAMILY-FRIENDLY.

Bring a chair, your friends, and your love for wild places. Beer, wine, and sodas available for purchase from Rialto Bar (no outside alcohol, please).

06/17/2026

NorthWestern Energy is raising our rates AGAIN.

NorthWestern recent adjustment to the Power Cost and Credits Adjustment Mechanism (PCCAM), which tracks variable costs, will result in a 5.4% increase to the average residential customer’s monthly bill beginning July 1.

Watch to learn more.

06/16/2026

Despite the best efforts of Pres. Trump and the coal industry to push the false narrative that coal is cheaper and more "beautiful [and] clean," new data has shown that the U.S. got more power from solar than coal plants last month— without toxic emissions or expensive fuel.

It’s the first time that's happened across an entire month, and it comes despite the Trump administration’s efforts to reinvigorate coal and hamper solar.

06/12/2026

Gov. Greg Gianforte and his energy task force want to bring more data centers to Montana, but have not considered the adverse effects of the energy use of these data centers on local communities. “Without significant changes to protect residential ratepayers, Montanans’ rising energy costs are likely to skyrocket," said Maxine Sugarman, an associate attorney in Earthjustice’s Northern Rockies U.S. Department of Energy Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation

06/11/2026

Sentinel Metals' proposed exploratory mining project drew comments from more than a thousand people over a three-week period, most of whom opposed it.

06/11/2026

Coal is not efficient or cheap, and Anne Hedges with the Montana Environmental Information Center stated, "It's not going to solve the energy transition. What this shows me is that there's an acknowledgement by this administration that coal can't compete in an open marketplace."

The announcement targets 10 states for direct investment to revitalize coal, with five additional states, including neighboring Wyoming, set to help supply some of that coal.