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Guest opinion: Circle the wagons for Montana-made energy

Energy industries in Montana might want to return to the "circle the wagons" approach that worked so well for the pioneers and unite around a single set of achievable energy development goals that we can all pursue together. It seems to be working for North Dakota. Why not here?

When PPL Montana, owner of the J.E. Corette coal plant in Billings, announced plans to "mothball" their 154-megawatt plant in 2015, it seized the opportunity to criticize the renewable energy production tax credit and disparage the regional wind industry. Instead of asking Montanans to "circle the wagons" and address the environmental, economic and market issues confronting all Montana generators so that we might all prosper, they encouraged us to form a "circular firing squad" and pick one another off.

Let’s be clear: No one, particularly the wind energy industry, wants to see any generation plants closed in Montana. Montana has endured more than enough closures. Wind developers want the power industry to grow and hope to see new plants built in Montana.

By VAN JAMISON

Full Story: http://billingsgazette.com/news/opinion/guest/guest-opinion-circle-the-wagons-for-montana-made-energy/article_ab266221-1011-55fc-904c-3b60ba74538a.html?comment_form=true

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