Outdoor History — MontPIRG

MontPIRG supported the Right to Know Law which required private employers to disclose the use of hazardous chemicals or waste to their employees and the community

MontPIRG supported the expansion of the Right to Know Law, specifying that chemicals sprayed in communities must be publicly posted.
MontPIRG introduced the Bottle Bill to the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM) ballot and embarked on a statewide recycling campaign
MontPIRG spearheaded the removal of the Milltown Dam due to evidence of carcinogens behind the dam

MontPIRG continued its fight for clean water and a robust campus and city recycling program
MontPIRG promoted "Polluter Pays" legislation to the national level
MontPIRG protected clean air by defeating a pro-hazardous waste burning bill in the state legislature

One of MontPIRG's hallmark accomplishments, the Cyanide Leach Mining Campaign ensured the passage of I-137, which banned the use of cyanide leach mining in Montana
MontPIRG established a recycling fee on campus as well as an alternative transportation fee, which created the office of Sustainability and Transportation that continue to operate at the University of Montana
MontPIRG continued its recycling campaign by supporting bottle recycling in Missoula
MontPIRG led the battle against the Rock Creek mine in Noxon
MontPIRG defended the Montana Environmental Policy Act at the state capital

MontPIRG began the Buy Back the Dams Ballot Initiative in 2002 which would require the integration of hydroelectric energy into the Montana energy system
MontPIRG fought against allowing snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park
MontPIRG revived its previous campaign against Cyanide Leach Mining in 2004 to win another major success by running a significant grassroots campaign to oppose I-147 and uphold the ban despite being outspent 3-1 by our opponents
MontPIRG was instrumental in establishing the 2005 Renewable Energy Standard that required 15% of the University of Montana's energy to be renewable by 2015
MontPIRG continued developing recycling and the sustainability program on campus by campaigning to increase the recycling fee
MontPIRG collected over 2,000 public comments during its Mercury campaign
MontPIRG opposed the Healthy Forest Initiative, which threatened to allow logging in National Forests
MontPIRG supported the passage of Universal Systems Benefits (USB) which fund energy research and development and renewable energy development

MontPIRG knocked over 4,000 doors to support a mill levy to expand Missoula's public transit system, which received 57% of the votes cast in that election
MontPIRG petitioned for Amtrak
During its Glacier Park - North Fork Protection campaign, MontPIRG collected thousands of petitions to protect Glacier National Park which convinced 80% of the oil companies who had contracts to drill in the Park to withdraw
MontPIRG supported and passed legislation setting fuel efficiency standards for state owned vehicles
MontPIRG gathered 100 handwritten letters, 120 photo and 1200 petition signatures for student lobbyists to present to the House Federal Relations, Energy, and Telecommunications committee in support of the Renewable Energy Standard MontPIRG passed in 2005 as well as the new 25% goal by 2025
In the 2009 session, MontPIRG influenced Governor Schweitzer to veto legislation that would have prohibited the state from enacting meaningful energy efficiency codes, create yet another loophole in Montana's ban on cyanid leach mining, and water down the Renewable Energy Standard.

In 2015, MontPIRG began its Save the Smith River campaign to stop an inexperienced, international mining company from developing on the headwaters of one of Montana's most iconic rivers. Since the beginning of the campaign, MontPIRG has collected over 3,000 public comments statewide and passed a save the smith resolution through the Missoula city council
During the 2017 legislature, MontPIRG sent two student lobbyists to our state capital who were instrumental in supporting environmentally conscious legislation as well as stopping a variety of bad bills from gaining traction
In 2017, MontPIRG began its Protect the Breaks campaign to protect the Upper Missouri River Breaks from mining exploitation, oil leasing, construction project, and sales that could limit public access

MontPIRG’s History of Protecting our Outdoors