A federal judge in Missoula has ruled a shareholder of the state’s largest utility cannot compel the company to consider his clean energy proposal at an upcoming annual meeting. The Montana Supreme Court heard arguments over how the Public Service Commission should set the rates NorthWestern Energy has to pay for power generated by small solar projects. The new owner of three coal mines in the Powder River Basin has signed an agreement with the U.S. government, giving federal regulators the