Case: Montana Environmental Information Center v. Doug Burgum

1:26-cv-00021 | U.S. District Court for the District of Montana

Filed Date: March 3, 2026

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding in progress

Case Summary

[This summary is temporary while we research this case.]

On March 3, 2026, the Montana Environmental Information Center, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Wildearth Guardians filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Montana against the Secretary of the Department of the Interior (DOI), Doug Burgum, the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) within the DOI, the DOI, and the Directors within the DOI. Plaintiffs allege that OSM sidestepped environmental concerns when it approved the federal mining plan modification for the Amendment 3 (AM3) expansion of the Bull Mountains Mine on June 6, 2025. OSM rushed its approval of the project, skipping the preparation of a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) and ignoring related public comments.

This case is ongoing.

Summary Authors

Jason Bondurant (6/16/2026)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72355449/parties/montana-environmental-information-center-v-doug-burgum/

Judge(s)

Cavan, Timothy J. (Montana)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Hernandez, Shiloh Silvan (Montana)

Attorney for Defendant

Bordelon, Sarah (Montana)

Dolphay, Matthew (Montana)

Hajek, Luther L. (Montana)

Judge(s)

Cavan, Timothy J. (Montana)

Molloy, Donald W. (Montana)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Hernandez, Shiloh Silvan (Montana)

Hornbein, Melissa Anne (Montana)

Jones-Cobb, Brandon (Montana)

Timmons, Daniel Lloyd (Montana)

Attorney for Defendant

Bordelon, Sarah (Montana)

Dolphay, Matthew (Montana)

Hajek, Luther L. (Montana)

Reimer, Hadassah M. (Montana)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

	Document
1 1:26-cv-00021	Complaint For Declaratory and Injunctive Relief Montana Enviromental Information Center v. Burgum	March 3, 2026	March 3, 2026 Complaint
17 1:26-cv-00021	Order on Motion to Intervene	May 5, 2026	May 5, 2026

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Resources

Title	Description		External URL Date / External URL
Executive Order 14156 “Declaring a National Energy Emergency”	Executive Order declaring a national energy emergency. Changes regulations to a variety of U.S. environmental departments, allowing for quicker approval of energy production expansion plans and deliv…	Jan 20, 2025	Jan. 20, 2025 https://www.federalregister.gov/...

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Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72355449/montana-environmental-information-center-v-doug-burgum/

Last updated June 15, 2026, 3:37 a.m.

ECF Number	Description	Date	Link Date / Link
1	COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF against Doug Burgum, U. S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, U. S. Department of the Interior, Marcelo Calle and Lanny Erdos filed by Montana Environmental Information Center, Center for Biological Diversity, and WildEarth Guardians. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1, # 2 Exhibit 2, # 3 Civil Cover Sheet) (JDH) (Entered: 03/03/2026) 1 Exhibit 1 View on PACER 2 Exhibit 2 View on PACER 3 Civil Cover Sheet View on PACER	March 3, 2026	March 3, 2026 Clearinghouse
2	Summons Issued as to Doug Burgum, Marcelo Calle, Lanny Erdos, U. S. Department of the Interior, U. S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. Issued summons may be downloaded and printed by counsel for service. (JDH) (Entered: 03/03/2026)	March 3, 2026	March 3, 2026
3	Corporate Disclosure Statement by Center for Biological Diversity, Montana Environmental Information Center, WildEarth Guardians. (Hernandez, Shiloh) (Entered: 03/03/2026)	March 3, 2026	March 3, 2026
4	Notice of Interested Parties by Center for Biological Diversity, Montana Environmental Information Center, WildEarth Guardians. (Hernandez, Shiloh) (Entered: 03/03/2026)	March 3, 2026	March 3, 2026
5	MOTION Brandon Jones-Cobb to Appear Pro Hac Vice ( Filing fee $ 273 receipt number AMTDC-3642648.). Shiloh Silvan Hernandez appearing for Plaintiffs Center for Biological Diversity, Montana Environmental Information Center, WildEarth Guardians. (Attachments: # 1 Affidavit, # 2 Text of Proposed Order) (Hernandez, Shiloh) (Entered: 03/03/2026)	March 3, 2026	March 3, 2026
6	MOTION Daniel Timmons to Appear Pro Hac Vice ( Filing fee $ 273 receipt number AMTDC-3642670.). Shiloh Silvan Hernandez appearing for Plaintiffs Center for Biological Diversity, Montana Environmental Information Center, WildEarth Guardians. (Attachments: # 1 Affidavit, # 2 Text of Proposed Order) (Hernandez, Shiloh) (Entered: 03/03/2026)	March 3, 2026	March 3, 2026
7	Order on Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice - MT	March 3, 2026	March 3, 2026
8	Order on Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice - MT	March 3, 2026	March 3, 2026
	Filing Fee Received	March 3, 2026	March 3, 2026
	Filing fee received: $ 405.00, receipt number AMTDC-3642407 (JDH)	March 3, 2026	March 3, 2026
9	Notice of Acknowledgment of Pro Hac Vice Order - MT	March 5, 2026	March 5, 2026
10	Notice of Acknowledgment of Pro Hac Vice Order - MT	March 5, 2026	March 5, 2026
11	ORDER REASSIGNING CASE. Case reassigned to Judge Donald W. Molloy for all further proceedings. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan no longer assigned to case Please update case number on future filings to: CV-26-21-BLG-DWM. Signed by Judge Brian Morris on 3/18/2026. (MMS) (Entered: 03/18/2026)	March 18, 2026	March 18, 2026 RECAP
12	ORDER. Proposed case management plan due on or before June 16, 2026. Signed by Judge Donald W. Molloy on 3/18/2026. (NOS) (Entered: 03/18/2026)	March 18, 2026	March 18, 2026
13	SUMMONS Returned Executed by WildEarth Guardians, Center for Biological Diversity, Montana Environmental Information Center. All Defendants. (Hernandez, Shiloh) (Entered: 03/23/2026)	March 23, 2026	March 23, 2026
14	MOTION to Intervene. Matthew Dolphay appearing for Intervenor Signal Peak Energy, LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1 - Prop. Answer, # 2 Exhibit 2 - Corporate Disclosure Statement, # 3 Exhibit 3 - Prop. Ord.) (NOS) (Entered: 05/01/2026)	May 1, 2026	May 1, 2026
15	Brief/Memorandum in Support re 14 MOTION to Intervene filed by Signal Peak Energy, LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A - Declaration) (NOS) (Entered: 05/01/2026)	May 1, 2026	May 1, 2026
16	ANSWER to 1 Complaint, by All Defendants. (Hajek, Luther) (Entered: 05/04/2026)	May 4, 2026	May 4, 2026
17	ORDER granting 14 Motion to Intervene. Signal Peak Energy, LLC may intervene in this matter. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Signal Peak must separately file its answer and motions for pro hac vice admission. Signed by Judge Donald W. Molloy on 5/5/2026. (NOS) (Entered: 05/05/2026)	May 5, 2026	May 5, 2026 Clearinghouse
18	ANSWER to 1 Complaint, by Signal Peak Energy, LLC. (Dolphay, Matthew) (Entered: 05/06/2026)	May 6, 2026	May 6, 2026
19	MOTION Hadassah M. Reimer to Appear Pro Hac Vice ( Filing fee $ 273 receipt number AMTDC-3682011.). Matthew Dolphay appearing for Intervenor Defendant Signal Peak Energy, LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1, # 2 Exhibit 2) (Dolphay, Matthew) (Entered: 05/06/2026)	May 6, 2026	May 6, 2026
20	NOTICE by Center for Biological Diversity, Montana Environmental Information Center, WildEarth Guardians Proof of Service of Procedural Order (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Exhibit 1) (Hernandez, Shiloh) (Entered: 05/06/2026)	May 6, 2026	May 6, 2026
21	ORDER granting 19 Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice for Attorney Hadassah Reimer. Acknowledgment of PHV Order due within 15 days. Signed by Judge Donald W. Molloy on 5/7/2026. NOTE: Instructions to request Montana CM/ECF registration through PACER are found here. (NOS) (Entered: 05/07/2026)	May 7, 2026	May 7, 2026
22	NOTICE of Acknowledgment of Pro Hac Vice Order by Signal Peak Energy, LLC (Reimer, Hadassah) (Entered: 05/07/2026)	May 7, 2026	May 7, 2026

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Case Details

State / Territory:

Montana

Case Type(s):

Environmental Justice

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Environmental Protections

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 3, 2026

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Environmental Justice Non-profit Organizations

Plaintiff Type(s):

Non-profit NON-religious organization

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Federal

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

Defendant Type(s):

Jurisdiction-wide

Facility Type(s):

Government-run

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.

National Environmental Protection Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 4321–4370f

Other Dockets:

District of Montana 1:26-cv-00021

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: None Yet / None

Relief Sought:

Declaratory judgment

Injunction

Relief Granted:

None yet

Source of Relief:

None yet

Issues

Environmental Justice and Resources:

Environmental Impact Statements

Groundwater

Recommended Citation

Case Summary of Montana Environmental Information Center v. Doug Burgum, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/47871/ (last updated 6/16/2026).