The Montana Department of Environmental Quality found no significant impacts from greenhouse gases produced by NorthWestern Energy's Yellowstone County Generation station near Laurel.

DEQ announced the findings in a final analysis released Friday. It marks the likely conclusion to a years-long challenge over how operations could negatively impact the health of Montanans and the environment.

In January, the Montana Supreme Court allowed an initial state-issued permit for the plant to stand after a 2023 legal challenge by environmental groups prompted a lower court’s blocking of the permit.

However, the court directed the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to further evaluate greenhouse gas emissions and lighting effects from the Yellowstone County Generating Station, finding

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