On the evening of August 17, the Montana Public Service Commission held a listening meeting in Butte about NorthWestern Energy’s plans for the next 20 years.
Its current plan is to not just keep their current dependence on coal but to increase it. Other energy ideas include natural gas and perhaps building more dams?
There was no mention whatsoever about non-polluting renewable energy options.
COAL? REALLY? There is no such thing as “clean coal.” Already Colstrip has a history of groundwater contamination that exceeds current regulations, and the cancer rates are above the national average, due to coal ash emitted from the generating process.
Northwestern Energy, a private company, wants to use their shareholders money to acquire even more polluting coal.
This plan is preposterous.
Climate change is not coming … it’s here and we haven’t seen anything yet. Every year a new record is set for being the hottest. This year, the damage from human caused climate change is off the charts. CO-2 levels continue to rise annually and Nero fiddles.
Montana was just sued by students who demanded that the current government adhere to Montana’s constitution that states we residents are entitled to a clean environment. They WON!
NorthWestern’s stockholders should take note. The wind is at the back of those being impacted by the powers that be, who continue to ignore all the evidence before their eyes. Folks are taking to the courts to enforce rules for the polluters.
Montana’s governor and his administration say that because Montana is a big state with a low population, what we do doesn’t have any impact good or bad. Not so.
If Montana is not part of the solution, it is part of the problem.
This company should not be allowed to further pollute our planet. Please get your pens and pencils out and write a letter to the company that just says NO!
Carol Blake
Eureka