By Aviv Guscio, Ellis Walker-Keleher, Grace Gibson-Snyder and Virgil Jones, Missoula
We, the four authors of this piece, range in age from 14 to 17. As young people engaged in local politics and initiatives, we watch in concern the actions of our state legislature. As we are unable to vote, we must take any opportunity we can to make our voices heard.
Even now, there are a number of bills progressing through Montana’s Congress that are harmful to our state’s economy, our citizens’ safety, and your family’s well-being. One of these harmful pieces of legislation is Senate Bill 379, which is intended to keep Colstrip, Montana’s coal-fired electrical plant, running.
Not only would SB-379 damage Montana’s environment by releasing greenhouse gases, it would also be damaging to Montana’s economy. This bill gives substantial control of the mine to NorthWestern Energy, removing the oversight of our Public Service Commission. The bill’s $1 billion price tag would be shouldered by Montana NorthWestern Energy ratepayers costing an additional $700 per year per customer.
Some may feel that this bill will help Montana’s economy as NorthWestern Energy will be able to employ more people and sell more energy. However, coal’s price will only keep escalating, and solar technology is only increasing in availability. If this bill fails to pass, the Colstrip mine is expected to shut down within 4 years, seeing an end to this unsustainable mining. On the other hand, if Senate Bill 379 were to pass, the mine would remain open for the foreseeable future. Overall, this bill will be extremely harmful to the environment, solely help NorthWestern Energy, and hurt Montana’s economy. We implore you to lobby your representatives to vote no on Senate Bill 379. You don’t have to be an expert to understand what is occurring. If we prioritize Montana’s clean energy future, vote no on SB-379, and support our future generations, change will follow.