Defending Stream Access & Clean Water
Cottonwood Law is on the forefront of protecting Montana’s rivers and streams from water polluters. On September 19, 2022, Cottonwood’s Executive Director (John Meyer) walked with a contractor for three miles below the high water mark up a tributary of the Gallatin River with a contractor into the heart of the Yellowstone Club, a private ski and golf resort in Big Sky, Montana. Cottonwood’s contractor took water samples that show the Yellowstone Club is discharging nitrogen pollution into the South Fork/West Fork of the Gallatin River at twenty six times the concentration of the receiving water. Cottonwood’s Executive Director fished, took photos, and video below the high water mark. When Meyer and the contractor returned to the trailhead, they were questioned by a sheriff.
On March 7, 2023, the Yellowstone Club had the Madison County District Attorney press charges against Meyer for criminal trespass. The Madison County DA alleged that Meyer illegally entered the Yellowstone Club’s property. Meyer never stepped foot on Yellowstone Club property.
On March 28, 2022, Meyer was arrested and pled “not guilty” to the criminal trespass charge in Virginia City Municipal Court. On July 24, 2023, the Court dismissed with prejudice the criminal charges against Meyer.
Cottonwood is now using the water samples that were taken the day Meyer was arrested to prosecute the Yellowstone Club in federal court for Clean Water Act violations. Learn more.
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