Bitterrooters for Planning, Inc. v. Montana Department of Environmental Quality

Authors

Rebecca A. Newsom, Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of MontanaFollow

Case Summary Citation

Bitterrooters for Planning, Inc. v. Montana Department of Environmental Quality, 2017 MT 222, 388 Mont. 453, 401 P.3d 712

Abstract

In Bitterrooters for Planning, Inc. v. Montana Department of Environmental Quality, the Montana Supreme Court found that the Montana Department of Environmental Quality did not violate the Montana Environmental Policy Act when the department issued a wastewater discharge permit for a large retail merchandise store. This decision enforced a narrow interpretation of agency requirements under the Montana Department of Environmental Quality Act, focusing only on direct effects with a close causal connection to the agency action.