Case Title: MONT BOARD OF NAT RESOURCES v MO

Citation: 

Docket Number: 

State: montana

Court: Montana Supreme Court

Date: 1974-12-24T00:00:00Z

Document:
No. 12889 I N T H E SUPREME C O U R T O F T H E STATE O F M O N T A N A M O N T A N A BOARD OF N A T U R A L RESOURCES et a 1 . , P l a i n t i f f s and Appellants, T H E M O N T A N A P O W E R C O M P A N Y , a Corpora t i o n , Defendants and Respondents. Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court of t h e F i r s t J u d i c i a l District, Honorable P e t e r Meloy, Judge presiding. Counsel of Record: For Appellants : Donald D. MacIntyre argued, Helena, Montana For Respondents: Thomas Kelley argued, B i l l i n g s , Montana William Coldiron argued, Butte, Montana John Carl appeared, Butte, Montana Filed : Submitted: November 12, 1974 i > ?- , - Decided : ~ , E L 5. , . ' " - 3 ? 4 I, . rEK CIJRIAM: O n October 23, 1974 p l a i n t i f f s , pursuant t o Rule 40, Elontana Rules of Appellate C i v i l Procedure, applied t o t h i s Court seeking reinstatement of an injunction which had been dissolved by t h e d i s t r i c t court of Lewis and Clark County, pending appeal and f i n a l d e c i s i ~ n by t h i s Court. The controversy here arose a s follows: On .June 14, 1974 p l a i n t i f f s i n s t i t u t e d t h i s a c t i o n , C i v i l Cause No. 37972 i n the d i s t r i c t c o u r t , by f i l i n g a complaint f o r declaratory judgmen~ and injunction a g a i n s t defendant. P l a i n t i f f s sought a r u l i n g declaring defendant's proposed 230 L i l o v o l t t r a n s mission l i n e from B i l l i n g s t o Great F a l l s , Montana, (the l i n e ) , subject t~ t h e Montana U t i l i t y S i t i n g Act of 1973, sections 70- 801-70-823, R.C.M. 1947, and an order termporarily r e s t r a i n i n g defendant from constructing t h e l i n e . D i s t r i c t Judge Peter G. yieloy issued t h e temporary r e s t r a i n i n g order and s e t a show cause hearing on t h e matter. O n J u l y 3, 1974 defendant answered t h e complaint s t a t i n g t h e Tine was under construction p r i o r t o January 1, 1973 and therefore w a s s p e c i f i c a l l y exempt from the Montana U t i l i t y S i t i n g Act under section 70-811 of t h a t Act. A n evidentiary hcaring was held t h e same day. The p a r t i e s were given a d d i t i o n a l t i m e t o f i l e f u r t h e r b r i e f s . O n September 4 , 1974 Judge Meloy found t h a t t h e l i n e was within t h e exception provided by s e c t i o n 7Q-811, R.C.M. 1947, and d~mcluded t h a t t h e temporary r e s t r a i n i n g order should be dissolved. jccordingly, judgment i n favor of defendant and a g a i n s t pl-aintiffs das entered on September 26, 1974. On October 4 , 1974 p l a i n t i f f s f i l e d a n o t i c e of appeal and moved t h e d i s t r i c t court under Rule 7 ( a ) , Montana Rules of Appellate C i v i l Procedure, t o s t a y execution of t h e judgment. This :[lotion was denied on October 7, 1974, whereupon p l a i n t i f f s made dpplication t o t h i s Court. By an order dated October 24, 1974, t h i s Court s e t t h e matter f o r adversary hearing on November 12, 1974. Hearing was had, and a f t e r examining the record and consideri.ng the arguments of both p a r t i e s , t h i s Court finds, a s did t h e d i s t r i c t court, a t o t a l absence of f a c t s i n t h e record t o support p l a i n t i f f s r allegations t h a t discontinuance of the injunction w i l l r e s u l t i n irreparable i n j u r y . The r e l i e f sought is therefore DENIED.