Federal Judge Rules In B-L-M's Favor On Lease Issue

Billings, MT – A federal judge says the Bureau of Land Management acted property when it issued Montana leases for coal-bed methane before conducting a comprehensive environmental study. Senior U-S District Judge Jack Shanstrom of Billings, Montana granted summary judgement in favor of the federal agency. The court ruling says the leases were issued under a 1994 B-L-M management plan and environmental impact statement and that a new study was not required. The Norther Plains Resource Council sued the federal agency two year's ago. The group's attorney says he'll recommend they appeal Shanstrom's ruling