An attorney for 16 young plaintiffs has urged a judge to strike down as unconstitutional a Montana law that prohibits state agencies from considering the environmental effects when it weighs permits allowing the release of greenhouse gases. During the trial, plaintiffs testified about how increased heat, smoke from wildfires and drought affect their activities and mental health. Montana Assistant Attorney General Michael Russell said Tuesday that the Legislature had the right to enact the law that limits greenhouse gas reviews. There are 12 federally recognized tribes in the state of Montana.
South Dakota’s congressional delegation sent a letter urging the Bureau of Indian Affairs to provide additional support to tribal law enforcement agencies in South Dakota to help combat the spike of violent crime on reservations. Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds, and Rep. Dusty Johnson, wrote a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland asking her to direct the BIA to expedite these law enforcement resources. “While a significant number of tribal communities in South Dakota are dealing with an increase in serious crime, it is important to note the situation on each respective reservation is unique and requires individual attention,” the delegation wrote. “Therefore, we request the BIA closely evaluate tribal crime statistics and work directly with individual tribal leaders to address these threats to public safety.”
Those are your headlines at this hour. I’m Colette Keith in the KIPI News Center.
