This special edition of Ecotones is a daily audio digest for June 19, 2023, Day 6 of the historic Held v State of Montana. It was the second week of the trial, which began on June 12, 2023 in the Lewis & Clark County District Court in Helena, MT – Judge Kathy Seeley presiding. Attorneys for The 16 youth plaintiffs rested their case on Friday, June 16th.

Today, The State of Montana’s Defense attorney, Lee McKenna of the Montana Dept. of Environmental Quality, called Christopher Dorrington, the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality to the stand. After answering her questions, he was cross examined by plaintiff attorney, Melissa Hornbein, senior attorney with Western Environmental Law Center (WELC). Director Christopher Norrington, was appointed to his position by Governor Gianforte in 2021.

The defense then called Sonja Nowakowski, Administrator for the Air, Energy, and Mining Division at Montana DEQ. In this edition we hear her testimony. But Due to broadcast time limitations, the cross examination of Ms Nowakowski by plaintiff attorney, Barbara Chillcott, senior attorney with WELC, will be in the next edition of Ecotones’ Daily Audio Diary.

As you will hear, Judge Seeley was called upon to make far more rulings on objections than during the first week.