Page 39 - Flathead Beacon // 6.24.15

ENERGIZING THOUGHTS RUSS SCHNEIDER
THE RIVER OF MONEY IN YOUR WHOLESALE POWER RATES
BUILDING PERMITS
BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED IN KALISPELL AND WHITEFISH IN MAY
IT’S NO SECRET THAT SOME OF THE best river fishing in Montana is artifi- cially enhanced by a dam on the Mis- souri River, but west of the divide fish politics have been a little different. The focus is not on creating good fishing, but rather on preserving 13 sub-populations of Columbia and Snake river fish. We all pay for that impact in our wholesale power rates. Historically, because of the high cost efficiency of large hydropower generation, even with the $14 billion of ratepayer money spent on Fish & Wild- life actions since 1978 in the Columbia basin, buying power from Bonneville is still a good deal. The Bonneville-mar- keted Federal Columbia River Power System is the battery of the region. The large hydro scale and ramping capabil- ity allow the low carbon integration of over 4,700 megawatts of wind genera- tion. However, looking at the increase in Bonneville Fish & Wildlife spending over the last six years, recent increases in Fish & Wildlife spending threaten the market viability of the system.
At the same time that certain inter- ests continue to sue for more money and more programs, salmon and steel- head returned in record or near record numbers over the last few years. The fall Chinook salmon returns set records in 2013 with over a million fish returned; the largest number observed since the building of Bonneville Dam in 1938. The spring chinook return in 2014 ranked as the fifth highest since 1980. The summer chinook return, in 2014, ranked fourth highest since 1980. The 2014 return of sockeye to the Columbia River of 645,100 adults was also the largest return since counts started at Bonneville Dam in 1938.
BPA’s Fish and Wildlife costs vary year to year due to a number of factors includ- ing water conditions, program require- ments and energy markets. In 2014, fish and wildlife costs were $782.6 million ($318.9 million in foregone revenue and power purchases and $463.7 million in program expenses), with an additional $139.2 million in capital investment. In recent years, Fish and Wildlife costs have ranged from twenty-five to thirty percent of total costs for BPA wholesale power.
Most of these fish costs must be reviewed and approved as part of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s Fish & Wildlife Program. Montana has two representatives on this council, Jennifer Anders and Pat Smith, both appointed by Governor Steve Bull- ock. Their job should be to ensure that Montanans get a fair regional share of the benefits of these programs without causing undue rate effects to Montana electric customers. This is a challenge since most money goes to downstream salmon and steelhead programs with Montanans paying just as much on every kilowatt-hour of energy as folks living on the Columbia River. It seems that reduc- ing these costs or increasing the bene- fits to Montana would be in the interest of the state. The Council, including the Montana representatives, continue to pursue more of your ratepayer money for experimental “emerging priority” programs in Washington and Oregon, like exploring to get salmon above Grand Coulee Dam, which is the most import- ant hydro facility in the Pacific North- west. Whether this is too much or not enough, we thought you should know about this river of your money in Bonne- ville power rates.
KALISPELL
RECIPIENT: Advanced Real Estate Management; 30 Village Loop Rd.
CONTRACTOR: DC Home Repair
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $5,465
RECIPIENT: James Paulson; 86 Northern Lights Blvd. CONTRACTOR: Glacier Docks and Decks
FOR: Deck
VALUE: $2,150
RECIPIENT: Hawthorn West HOA; 92 Hawthorn W CONTRACTOR: Prof. Service Providers, Inc. FOR: Roof
VALUE: $15,372.28
RECIPIENT: Kalispell Regional Healthcare; 310 Sunnyview Ln.
CONTRACTOR: KRMC Workshop
FOR: Door
VALUE: $1,800
RECIPIENT: Munro Properties, LLC; 1121 Hwy 2 W CONTRACTOR: Kramer Enterprises
FOR: Addition
VALUE: $120,000
RECIPIENT: LIC Trading; 327 S Main St. CONTRACTOR: Bear Mountain Builders FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $50,000
RECIPIENT: Bridgeland Development; 437 Hilltop Ave. CONTRACTOR: Westcraft Homes
FOR: Single-family residence
VALUE: $250,000
RECIPIENT: Robert & Tamarca Balkenbush CONTRACTOR: Owner
FOR: Garage
VALUE: $15,000
RECIPIENT: TKG Spring Praire Dev. 3; 165 Treeline Rd. CONTRACTOR: API Systems Integrators
FOR: Fire alarm
VALUE: $7,639
RECIPIENT: TKG Spring Prairie Dev. 3; 165 Treeline Rd.
CONTRACTOR: Western States Fire Pro. FOR: Sprinkler
VALUE: $24,170
RECIPIENT: TKG Spring Prairie Dev. 3; 175 Treeline Rd. CONTRACTOR: API Systems Integrators
FOR: Fire alarm
VALUE: $5,201
RECIPIENT: TKG Spring Prairie Dev. 3; 175 Treeline Rd. CONTRACTOR: Wester States Fire Pro.
FOR: Sprinkler
VALUE: $20,340
RECIPIENT: Ron Terry Construction; 140 Short Pine Dr.
CONTRACTOR: Ron Terry Construction
FOR: Single-family residence
VALUE: $136,500
RECIPIENT: DCP Kalispell, LLC; 165 School House Loop
CONTRACTOR: Kramer Enterprises FOR: Addition
VALUE: $660,000
RECIPIENT: Kalispell Regional Healthcare; 310 Sunnyview Ln.
CONTRACTOR: Northwest Healthcare
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $1,600
RECIPIENT: Whitefish Credit Union; 1845 Hwy 93 S
CONTRACTOR: Automatic Fire FOR: Sprinkler
VALUE: $35,242,65
RECIPIENT: DNRC State of MT; 55 Treeline Rd. CONTRACTOR: Engineered Structures, Inc. FOR: Tire shop
VALUE: $750,000
RECIPIENT: Jim Lee; 100 Buffalo Stage CONTRACTOR: Cody Finch
FOR: Addition
VALUE: $7,000
RECIPIENT: Bighorn Development; 410 Triple Creek Dr.
CONTRACTOR: Bighorn Development
FOR: Single-family residence
VALUE: $199,900
RECIPIENT: City of Kalispell; 2001 Airport Rd. CONTRACTOR: Summit Roofing, Inc.
FOR: Roof
VALUE: $44,000
RECIPIENT: Kristy Vollertsen; 362 Seventh Ave. EN CONTRACTOR: Owner
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $2,500
WHITEFISH
RECIPIENT: Christ Lutheran Church; 5150 River Lakes Pkwy
CONTRACTOR: Bear Dance Builders
FOR: Addition
VALUE: $52,339
RECIPIENT: City of Whitefish; Hwy 93 S/Stumptown Inn
CONTRACTOR: NV Steel FOR: Addition
VALUE: $19,587
RECIPIENT: City of Whitefish; Second Street Bridge, NE Side
CONTRACTOR: NV Steel
FOR: Addition
VALUE: $16,438
RECIPIENT: Hampton Inn; 6340 Hwy 93 S
CONTRACTOR: Swank Enterprises FOR: Foundation
VALUE: $450,000
RECIPIENT: WF Hotel Group; 650 E Third St. CONTRACTOR: Rocky Mtn Builders
FOR: Foundation
VALUE: $450,000
RECIPIENT: Spotted Bear Distillery; 503 Railway St. CONTRACTOR: Derreck Thompson
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $150,000
RECIPIENT: CBS Development; 765 Aspen Grove St. CONTRACTOR: CBS Development
FOR: Townhouse
VALUE: $262,500
RECIPIENT: CBS Development; 761 Aspen Grove St. CONTRACTOR: CBS Development
FOR: Townhouse
VALUE: $262,500
RECIPIENT: Alissa LaChance; 1646 E Second St. CONTRACTOR: Owner
FOR: Addition
VALUE: $32,000
RECIPIENT: Charles Lyman; 2405 Carver Bay Rd. CONTRACTOR: Shreve Construction
FOR: Addition
VALUE: $15,000
RECIPIENT: Brian and Lois McNaughton; 920 Birch Point Dr.
CONTRACTOR: Malmquist
FOR: Addition
VALUE: $30,000
RECIPIENT: Jason and Kristina Rattray; 620 Nature Trail
CONTRACTOR: Big Mtn Builders
FOR: Single-family residence
VALUE: $560,000
RECIPIENT: Craig and Sandra Solem; 511 Grouse Ridge Dr.
CONTRACTOR: Stoddard Construction
FOR: Single-family residence
VALUE: $1,200,000
RECIPIENT: Brett Campbell; 127 Brimstone Dr. CONTRACTOR: North Valley Construction FOR: Single-family residence
VALUE: $250,000
RECIPIENT: Brian and Lois McNaughton; 920 Birch Point Dr.
CONTRACTOR: Malmquist
FOR: Single-family residence
VALUE: $770,000
RECIPIENT: Ray Tymko; 609 Geddes
CONTRACTOR: Owner FOR: Remodel VALUE: $2,800
RECIPIENT: Jon and Deanna Archer; 226 E Second St.
CONTRACTOR: Lost Creek Construction FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $11,000
RECIPIENT: Bill and Joan Hoffman; 2279 Houston
Point Dr.
CONTRACTOR: Eisenhart Builders FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $7,500
RECIPIENT: Doug and Allison O’Briant; 320 Sugar Bowl
CONTRACTOR: The Vandelay Group
FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $630,450
RECIPIENT: Charlie LaChance; 1670 E Second St.
CONTRACTOR: LaChance Builders FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $5,120
RECIPIENT: Larry Katz; 103 Mountainside Dr. CONTRACTOR: Blankenship Construction FOR: Remodel
VALUE: $25,000
Russ Schneider is tegulatory analyst at Flathead Electric Co-op .
Montana’s #1 Golf Course
Eagle Bend Golf Club
Tee Times: 837-7310
www.eaglebendgolfclub.com
279 Eagle Bend Drive • Bigfork
27 Holes • Practice Facility • Pro Shop • Dinning Room & Lounge
JUNE 24, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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