Senator Baucus’s Opportunity to Make Montana a National Rural Energy Leader

October 2, 2007

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Transforming the role of energy in agriculture represents one of the greatest opportunities to advance Montana’s development in decades. Clean energy production and energy efficiency can create jobs, boost incomes, cut operating costs, increase county revenues, and spark rural-based entrepreneurship. To secure this great opportunity for our state, we need Congress to fund the Energy Title in the next Farm Bill at at least one billion dollars per year.

Senator Max Baucus, as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, has in his hands a fleeting opportunity to match Governor Brian Schweitzer’s bold vision for rural energy development with similar federal leadership by backing a billion dollars of funding for Farm Bill energy programs. With the stakes so high – the urgency of rural economic development in Montana, the seriousness of our national energy security– we believe that Senator Baucus can find the funds for energy programs without hurting the Commodity, Conservation or expected Disaster Titles.

The one billion dollar funding level amounts to less than 2% of the Farm Bill, and is nearly how much we spend per day on imported oil. The Farm Bill’s Energy Title provides us an unprecedented opportunity to advance clean energy development in Montana on multiple fronts. 1. The Energy Title & Cellulosic Biofuels: Accelerating Commercialization Montana cannot be competitive in corn-based ethanol due to our soils and temperatures, but we can “leapfrog” to cellulosic ethanol based switchgrass, wheat straw and other crops. Cellulosic ethanol benefits livestock producers by reducing demand for corn. Energy Title programs could support the emerging cellulosic industry by moving forward energy crop production and use.

2. The Energy Title and Renewable Resources: Sparking Community-Owned Energy Production Energy Title programs are crucial to retaining profits from wind, solar and other renewable energy investments in Montana’s rural communities. The flourishing Iowa and Minnesota community wind sectors, for example, were jump-started with Energy Title programs. We might replicate the community-owned wind success story in our state with the 2007 Farm Bill.

3. The Energy Title and Conservation: Promoting Cleaner Air, Water Energy Title programs complement Conservation Title programs by helping ranches act as good environmental stewards. One proposed Energy Title program provides technical assistance to help agriculture reduce energy consumption. Such a program would not only reduce our energy costs but would clean our air and reduce run-off.

Earlier this year, Senator Baucus said “I want to look to the future of agriculture, and a big part of that is going to be energy production. Agriculture producers could hold the key to boosting domestic energy production, and wean us off of foreign oil.” Senator Baucus’s far-sighted view reflects the beliefs of Montanans, who overwhelmingly support greater renewable energy investments, according to state-wide polling.

Given Baucus’s personal commitment, the backing of the public, and the opportunity to transform Montana into a national leader in rural energy production, we urge Senator Baucus to push for a strong Energy Title. The Energy Title, coupled with Governor Schweitzer’s state-level initiatives, is pivotal to creating a prosperous, significant and sustainable role for energy in Montana agriculture.

Author Contact: Mike Costanti, Principal Matney-Frantz Engineering, LLC 105 W. Main St., Suite G Bozeman, MT 59715 (406) 556-9827 mcostanti@matneyfrantz.com
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