'Clean and healthful' constitutional change fails

'Clean and healthful' constitutional change fails

The Associated Press

HELENA — A Republican plan to dilute the Montana Constitution's guarantee of a "clean and healthful environment" to help industry won't be going to the 2012 ballot.

The declaration in the Constitution's inalienable rights has long been a sore point for those who say it gets in the way of energy and other development. But conservationists and others have hailed it as forward-thinking language that has helped preserve the state.

The failed Republican proposal would have asked voters to change the provision to instead gua...