Sustainability

Friends of Two Rivers - Bonner, Milltown, Montana

“Colstrip sale falls apart amid strong opposition” reads the headline for the 10/29/20 story by Tom Lutey in the Billings Gazette. Lutey reports: “Puget Sound Energy has canceled the sale of Colstrip Unit 4 shares to NorthWestern Energy and Talen Energy.”

The Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) months-long gathering of testimony ends with this sale cancellation. Although input to the PSC from intervenors and the public was overwhelmingly against NorthWestern’s purchase of an increased share of Colstrip Unit 4, the reason for Puget’s canceling of the sale stemmed from the regulatory process in Washington State. As Lutey reports: “In Washington, the Utility and Transportation Commission had to determine if the sales terms were beneficial to Puget’s customers. Otherwise, the deal was off. The investigative staff of the UTC, as well as the Washington Public Counsel, had advised against the sale. Both concluded that for multiple reasons the terms weren't favorable for Puget customers.

Here's NorthWestern’s notice to the Montana Public Service Commission:
Notice of Withdrawal of Application
NorthWestern Energy (“NorthWestern”) and Puget Sound Energy, Inc. (“Puget”) executed a purchase and sale agreement (“Agreement”) to convey to NorthWestern a portion of Puget’s interest in Colstrip Unit 4 (“CU4”) and all associated real property, equipment, and facilities. NorthWestern’s application to the Montana Public Service Commission (“Commission”) for approval of the acquisition gave rise to the proceedings in this docket. On October 29, 2020, NorthWestern and Puget terminated the Agreement. As provided for in Section 9.1 of the Agreement, NorthWestern and Puget executed the Colstrip Unit 4 Termination Agreement, attached as Exhibit A. The parties also executed the Colstrip Transmission System Termination Agreement, attached as Exhibit B. As a result, NorthWestern’s application before the Commission is now moot. Pursuant to Section 9.2. of the Agreement, NorthWestern withdraws its 2 application and requests that the Commission vacate all deadlines and close this docket.

Coal vs wind Photo courtesy MEICThe Montana Public Service Commission will host a “Listening Session” for NorthWestern Energy’s Draft 2019 Electricity Supply Resource Procurement Plan on Tuesday, December 17 at 4PM in the Missoula Public Library public meeting room, 301 E Main St, Missoula, MT 59802.

The utility’s draft Plan calls for the addition of 800 megawatts of natural gas-fired generation to be added over a four year period beginning in 2022. Although renewable electricity generation is considered in the plan, the amount is trivial compared to the gas-fired generation which would add millions of tons of CO2 to the atmosphere over its lifetime of use.

Add your voice! Demand that NorthWestern Energy use renewable energy resources to satisfy future electricity supply.
Here are some “talking points.”

Talking Points, Sample Comment, The Plan

FarmBadlands Sidney WEB EDIT 2017 05 12 8 Eastern Montanan is not North Dakota’s dumping grounds. We need radioactive oil waste rules in Montana that are as strong as North Dakota’s. Source - https://northernplains.org/rad-waste-deq-comments/The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is proposing new rules for the disposal of Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM). This radioactive waste is generated as a result of oil/gas production. There is currently one site in Montana that receives such waste, located near Glendive. It receives waste primarily from operations in North Dakota. Three other facilities are licensed to receive TENORM, including Missoula’s Republic Services. Current Montana rules regulating these wastes are inadequate because they are the same rules that apply to standard solid waste disposal. Special rules for TENORM are required. The facility near Glendive has caused groundwater contamination that includes radioactivity in excess of drinking water standards.

Send your comment to DEQ in support of stricter standards for this waste. Refer to the document “TENORM information” and “TENORM rulemaking priorities” for background. The documents are supplied by the Northern Plains Resource Council. Use these to prepare your own comment or go to the link on the Northern Plains website. At the bottom of this Northern Plains website page, LEARN MORE ABOUT RADIOACTIVE OIL WASTE RULES.

For a sample comment, refer to the document “FO2R comment.”

The public comment period ends October 21. Send your comment by email to Sandy Sherer, DEQ Legal Secretary, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or mail your comment to Sandy Sherer, Legal Secretary, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, 1520 E. Sixth Avenue, Helena MT 59620.

Fo2R Comment

In October, 2011 Molly Bradford, SBS-Solar, and Aaron Hanson, Axmen, explained methods and installations to markedly reduce homeowners' energy consumption at a presentation of the Friends of 2 Rivers Sustainable Living Series.