The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against the state of Montana after diving into a riverbed rights dispute. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote the opinion (PDF) for a unanimous court favoring a company that operates hydroelectric dams on three rivers in the state: the Missouri, the Madison and Clark Fork. Montana had asserted it owned the disputed riverbeds, entitling it to at least $41 million in rent from the company, PPL Montana. The energy company had been paying rent to the federal government. The Montana Supreme Court had granted summary judgment to the state, but the U.S. Supreme Court reversed in an opinion that…
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