Anti-Coal Campaign Challenges the Montana State Land Board

Advocacy groups with the goal of “preventing Montana from becoming an international coal colony at the expense of public health and the climate,” is meeting with members of Montana's State land Board with the goal of convincing them to work against the development of Otter Creek coal. A Member of the steering committee for the Blue Skies Campaign Nick Engelfried says that his group has already met with Secretary of State Linda McCulloch but says that "she was not willing to make the degree of commitment that we were hoping . . .  which was a little disappointing  . . .at the end of the day we really feel that the Land Board members need to commit not to approve any mining plan that doesn't mitigate these vast negative impacts."

The Blue Skies campaign begins in force next Wednesday with a sit-in at the state capitol in Helena. Engelfried says he expects Attorney General Steve Bullock and Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau to side with the campaign based on their prior voting history.

Blue Skies Member Nick Engelfried discusses coal, the state land board, and the environment: