Court Nixes Coal-Bed Methane Permits

By MIKE DENNISON IR State Bureau | Posted: Friday, May 21, 2010 12:00 a.m.

 A unanimous Montana Supreme Court has voided water-discharge permits for the state’s largest coal-bed methane producer, saying the state must require the company to treat salty water from the wells before it flows into the Tongue River or other streams and rivers.

 State May Buy Land With River Rent Money

By MATT GOURAS Associated Press | Posted: Thursday, May 13, 2010 1:18 am

The state is looking at using a $40 million court-ordered windfall to buy thousands of acres of former Plum Creek Timber land from The Nature Conservancy — a notion some lawmakers think may be illegal.

 Groups Sue Over Otter Creek Coal Lease

By MATT GOURAS Associated Press | Posted: Thursday, May 13, 2010 11:59 pm

A lawsuit filed by two environmental groups asks a judge to undo the state’s lucrative deal to lease the Otter Creek coal tracts, charging that the decision runs afoul of the Montana Constitution.

The governor, an advocate of the coal deal, said he thinks the lawsuit is premature.

Methane Water Practice Illegal

A Helena judge ruled recently that pumping up groundwater to develop coal-bed methane beneath it, only to waste the water by letting it evaporate, violates the Montana Constitution.....

 Court Rules State Can Charge Rent on Riverbeds

By MIKE DENNISON IR State Bureau | Posted: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 12:00 am

The Montana Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that PPL Montana owes the state $41 million for past use of public riverbeds to generate electric power — and said the state can charge PPL additional, ongoing rent for the company’s 10 hydroelectric dams.

Most Against Otter Creek Leasing 

Independent Record | Posted: Monday, March 29, 2010 12:00 am

It may not be surprising that the Montana Land Board’s recent 3-2 vote to approve leasing 570 million tons of state-owned coal for development in the Otter Creek Valley has proven controversial....

Otter Creek Lease Ok'd Amid Protest 

 By MIKE DENNISON IR State Bureau | Posted: Friday, March 19, 2010 12:00 am

The state Land Board, undeterred by anti-mining protesters who disrupted the board’s Helena meeting for 45 minutes until they were arrested, voted 3-2 Thursday....