Montana Environmental Information Center v. Montana Department of Environmental Quality

¶1 The Montana Environmental Information Center (MEIC) appeals from an order issued by the Fifth Judicial District Court, Jefferson County, granting summary judgment in favor of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Golden Sunlight Mines, Inc (GSM). We affirm.

¶2 In April 2014, MEIC filed suit in the Fifth Judicial District Court, challenging the DEQ’s decision to approve the expansion of GSM’s gold mine to include a smaller nearby pit. MEIC contended that the reclamation plan the DEQ chose to reclaim the nearby pit violated Article IX, Section 2 of the Montana Constitution…