Page 23 - Flathead Beacon // 6.11.14

FLATHEADBEACON.COM OPINION JUNE 11, 2014 | 23

UNCOMMON GROUND Mike Jopek

21 Percent Over 16 Years

P
RESIDENT BARACK OBAMA’S weitzer’s proposals are a success.
historic decision to act on carbon Schweitzer’s success was challenged

emissions will undoubtedly emit by the 2011 tea-party controlled Legisla-
years of ideological political rhetoric. ture, which oddly attempted to increase
The proposal is several hundred pages taxes for renewable energy production.
but calls for a state-based solution to Ideological legislators also proposed
reducing 2005 carbon emissions by 30 policy statements that said global warm-
percent from coal plants over the next 16 ing was good for business.
years.
Legislatures ultimately came to

Congress ignores carbon pollution
grips with the fact that Montana is a net
power exporter
relying upon the
power portfolios
of neighboring and “IT’S IN MONTANA’S ECONOMIC
importing states,
which require a INTEREST TO COME UP WITH A
mix of renewable

power.
STATE-BASED PLAN.”
Many expect
more recycled non-
sense in the 2015
Legislature, which
will need to implement some of the eco- but routinely doles out hundreds of bil-
nomic solutions for Montana and the lions of dollars in taxpayer funds for

generations of people who seek a plan for weather-related mitigation like super-
more stable weather.
storm disaster relief, ierce forest ires
It’s in Montana’s economic interest and selective crop insurance.
to come up with a state-based plan to Whether an individual feels that the
mitigate the efects of over polluting the president’s proposal goes too far, or not
atmosphere with carbon. Some energy far enough, it’s about time that someone
providers already seek cheaper forms of elected acted. From the winter’s Polar
power from local sources.
Vortex to vanishing glaciers in the park

The Flathead Electric Co-op part- to native trout losses to timber killing
nered with the county landill to capture beetles to freakish hailstorms pummel-
the gas from trash to generate power. ing croplands, action is warranted.
GLACIER
The Co-op partnered up with Stoltze Back when acid rain decimated the E
Land and Lumber to produce bio-ener- Northeastern states, Congress and the
gy from timber waste, and coordinates president mandated that scrubbers be H
with the city of Whiteish on hydropow- used on Midwest coal plant’s smoke
stacks to capture polluting gasses.
er from the Haskill Basin watershed.
Some ignore the weather, but even a Gov. Steve Bullock said that he would CHALLENGE
T
farmer like me can tell that patterns are review the emissions rule so the state
changing. From bigger and unexpected can provide “a made-in Montana solu-
early season hail storms to a late or early tion.” States have several years to come .
springtime to precipitation that simply up with a plan, but Montana is already .
may never fall, the pattern is chaos.
generating plenty more energy from re- 6 LEG MULTI-SP
Triathlon ORT RELAY
But while some bury their heads in newable sources.
.!
Riverside Park Whitefish NEW
the sand, the National Farmers Union In 2005, Gov. Brian Schweitzer led
president said, “Agriculture stands and convinced the Montana Legislature
ready to be an important part of the solu- to adopt a Renewable Energy Portfo-
tion to our climate challenges. I encour- lio. Under Schweitzer’s plan, Montana 7.19.14
In support of the
age Congress and the administration is well under way to provide 15 percent Flathead Youth Home
to engage the agricultural community of the state’s energy from renewable
in reducing carbon pollution by creat- source by 2015.
ing voluntary incentive for sequestering Planning for a 21 percent reduction

carbon and implementing conservation in carbon from Montana over the next
strategies that preserve our limited soil 16 years seems simple, but rich power
and water resource.”
interests and cowardly politicians will O
Working farmer and Sen. Jon Tes- whine loudly.
ER
ter initially called the President’s efort In 2007 Schweitzer signed “clean ERHE
a “responsible proposal.” Our genera- and green” legislation that provides tax UPM
tion is hopeful that more of today’s lead- incentives for energy derived from new SE
TH
ers responsibly act on a big economic sources of power like wind, solar and
and environmental challenge facing the geothermal. Given the wave of wind
planet.
power that spins across the state, Sch-

Mike (Uncommon Ground) Jopek and Dave (Closing Range) Skinner often fall on op-
posite sides of the fence when it comes to political and outdoor issues. Their columns website : www.theglacierchallenge.com
alternate each week in the Flathead Beacon.
registration : www.getmeregistered.com