It's the Bryan Lair Show on WNYC. Good morning again, everyone. I'm Bridget Bergen,

Philly and Bryan, who's off this week. And now, our climate story of the week. What

last week's landmark climate change ruling in Montana may signal for other states, and

specifically, its implications for New York. If you need catching up, last Monday, a judge

in Montana ruled that the state cannot prohibit taking climate change into account as it

weighs fossil fuel projects. And this case began when 16 young plaintiffs, age 5 to 22, argued

that by developing fossil fuel projects, Montana's government violated their right to a clean

and helpful environment as established in the state constitution.

Samantha Montelnato, reporter for the non-profit news organization The City, has a new story

which points to the similarities between Montana's constitutional right to a clean and

helpful environment and a provision in the New York Constitution known as the Green Amendment.

Samantha Montelnato joins me now. And also with us is Michael Gerard, a professor at Professor

of Law at Columbia Law School in the Founder and Faculty Director of the Sabin Center for

Climate Change. Samantha Michael, welcome to WNYC.

And so, Samantha, can you remind us first what New York's Green Amendment is? It might have

slipped under the radar when it passed back in November 2021 for some of our listeners,

particularly those paying attention to our last segment when we had that big mayoral election.

Sure. So New York throughout the state has a Green Amendment in its constitution now, and that

is the right to clean air and water and a helpful environment. Voters statewide had passed this

through a ballot measure in November 2021. And so now that right is enshrined in our state constitution.

And that right, excuse me, you report has been part of seven lawsuits being spurred

filed in New York, invoking the Green Amendment. And these include challenges to skyscrapers in Manhattan

...