BigHornRam
Well-known member
Here's my favorite Schweitzer quote of the week:
“Everybody who is reading this story has got a light bulb on in their house right now, and that light bulb is probably hooked to some coal-fired generator or hydroelectric plant,” he said. “So unless they're willing to live naked, eat nuts and live in a tree, then we've got to talk about the future of energy generation.”
Energy summit stirs up debate
By MIKE DENNISON of the Missoulian State Bureau
HELENA - Jackie Trusler says she could live with a mine in southeastern Montana's coal-rich Otter Creek Valley, which runs south from her Ashland-area ranch, but she's against any giant development involving coal and synthetic fuels.
“It would be terrible for this area,” she said. “All of a sudden it would be just a big mess.
“This valley is a beautiful valley, and I don't think we should have to sacrifice everything.
“They say Montana is the last best place. If they bring all this in, it's not going to be the last best place.”
Trusler is reacting to an idea promoted by Gov. Brian Schweitzer to create large-scale plants in eastern Montana that convert coal to diesel fuel.
The project would use Montana's plentiful coal fields to provide hundreds of good jobs, increase the country's fuel supply, and accomplish both tasks with only slight environmental impact, Schweitzer said.
The proposal also is on the agenda this week at Schweitzer's Montana energy future symposium in Bozeman, and it's not the only energy development on display.
Oil, fuel cells, coal-fired power plants, natural gas and power lines are on the program, with boosters and critics alike prepared to talk about how, or whether, they should be part of Montana's economy and energy future.
It's a key part of the symposium, which will draw as many as 600 people to the Montana State University campus. The Schweitzer administration plans to use what it learns at the conference to craft an energy plan for the state and the region.
In a recent interview, Schweitzer said traditional, fossil-fuel energy can't help but be a big part of the discussion at the conference.
“Everybody who is reading this story has got a light bulb on in their house right now, and that light bulb is probably hooked to some coal-fired generator or hydroelectric plant,” he said. “So unless they're willing to live naked, eat nuts and live in a tree, then we've got to talk about the future of energy generation.”
But regardless of what's on the agenda, Schweitzer and energy companies themselves say it won't change a fundamental fact about development: If Montanans want it to happen, it will. If they don't, it won't.
“There's a lot of work that needs to be done to make it amenable to opening up another coal mine somewhere,” said Dallas Schole, spokesman for Kennecott Energy Co., which owns one Montana coal mine and has long eyed development of coal deposits in the Otter Creek Valley. “I think there is a good chance if that's what Montana wants to happen.”
At this week's conference, there will be plenty of people who want it to happen and some who may have different ideas.
Rep. Alan Olson, R-Roundup, who chairs a House energy committee, said he's hoping whatever plan comes out of the conference will include new coal-fired power plants in Montana.
The plants can provide affordable, long-term power for Montanans and for export to markets out of state, he said.
“We need to realize that in this state, for us to survive, we need an export economy, and one of the things we can export is energy, hopefully in a refined state,” Olson said.
Olson's sentiment is shared by Republican House Leader Roy Brown of Billings. But Brown said he wonders whether Schweitzer will use the summit to justify more emphasis on “alternative energy,” such as wind and solar power, which Brown believes is more expensive for consumers.
“I think there is a balance,” he said. “But let's develop some of the energy sources we have readily available: oil, natural gas and coal.”
Schweitzer said he doesn't believe alternative energy needs to cost more than traditional fuels. He also said the summit will look at all types of energy and not favor one over the other.
“We're bringing probably more than 600 people who are energy leaders from around the world to showcase Bozeman, Montana, and our school of engineering and Montana's potential as a center of clean-coal technology and wind power and ultimately the hydrogen economy,” he said. “I think it's a comprehensive energy summit.”
State Sen. Ken Toole, a Helena Democrat who chairs the Senate's energy committee, said he agrees that Montana needs to develop some new power sources.
Utility deregulation is a failure that gave away Montana's low-cost, regulated power to out-of-state interests, and now the state has to rebuild the system, he said.
But it's a mistake to focus on large-scale plants, he said.
“The juice and the jazz in Montana around energy is always about building plants,” Toole said. “And I think that's one of our problems. ... We ought to be looking at a variety of smaller resources.”
Energy developers, however, say they're not that interested in the whole policy debate. They just want a clean set of rules by which they can dig, drill or build and meet Montana's environmental standards.
Bruce Williams is vice president of operations for Fidelity Exploration & Production Co., the state's largest natural gas producer and only producer of coalbed methane.
Fidelity has 456 producing wells in Montana near the Tongue River, just north of Sheridan, Wyo., but has had to fight numerous legal battles to develop its Montana fields.
The conference is a good chance to have a dialogue between drilling supporters and opponents, but when the symposium is over, he and other developers still face what they see as an uncertain playing field in Montana.
“There still needs to be a predictable regulatory environment in Montana: If you start at A, and you comply with all these regulatory steps, you'll get to Z, and then you'll get a permit,” he said.
He also said he thinks that Montana and the country are a long way from not needing oil, gas and traditionally generated power.
“You still have this giant, fossil fuel-consuming economy in the world that can't just make a switch,” he said.
Some development supporters also are convinced that no amount of talking is going to lead to widespread agreement on policy.
They're hoping that when the summit is over, the Schweitzer administration will take what it learned and go forward and maybe, if they're lucky, the governor's plan will match up somewhat with their own hopes.
“It's going to depend on what the governor wants to do with the discussion,” Roundup Republican Olson said. “It's real nice to sit around and talk and come to some consensus, but you need some action.”
Editor's note: Today, the Missoulian concludes a two-part look at Gov. Brian Schweitzer's energy summit, which convenes Tuesday at Montana State University.
“Everybody who is reading this story has got a light bulb on in their house right now, and that light bulb is probably hooked to some coal-fired generator or hydroelectric plant,” he said. “So unless they're willing to live naked, eat nuts and live in a tree, then we've got to talk about the future of energy generation.”
Energy summit stirs up debate
By MIKE DENNISON of the Missoulian State Bureau
HELENA - Jackie Trusler says she could live with a mine in southeastern Montana's coal-rich Otter Creek Valley, which runs south from her Ashland-area ranch, but she's against any giant development involving coal and synthetic fuels.
“It would be terrible for this area,” she said. “All of a sudden it would be just a big mess.
“This valley is a beautiful valley, and I don't think we should have to sacrifice everything.
“They say Montana is the last best place. If they bring all this in, it's not going to be the last best place.”
Trusler is reacting to an idea promoted by Gov. Brian Schweitzer to create large-scale plants in eastern Montana that convert coal to diesel fuel.
The project would use Montana's plentiful coal fields to provide hundreds of good jobs, increase the country's fuel supply, and accomplish both tasks with only slight environmental impact, Schweitzer said.
The proposal also is on the agenda this week at Schweitzer's Montana energy future symposium in Bozeman, and it's not the only energy development on display.
Oil, fuel cells, coal-fired power plants, natural gas and power lines are on the program, with boosters and critics alike prepared to talk about how, or whether, they should be part of Montana's economy and energy future.
It's a key part of the symposium, which will draw as many as 600 people to the Montana State University campus. The Schweitzer administration plans to use what it learns at the conference to craft an energy plan for the state and the region.
In a recent interview, Schweitzer said traditional, fossil-fuel energy can't help but be a big part of the discussion at the conference.
“Everybody who is reading this story has got a light bulb on in their house right now, and that light bulb is probably hooked to some coal-fired generator or hydroelectric plant,” he said. “So unless they're willing to live naked, eat nuts and live in a tree, then we've got to talk about the future of energy generation.”
But regardless of what's on the agenda, Schweitzer and energy companies themselves say it won't change a fundamental fact about development: If Montanans want it to happen, it will. If they don't, it won't.
“There's a lot of work that needs to be done to make it amenable to opening up another coal mine somewhere,” said Dallas Schole, spokesman for Kennecott Energy Co., which owns one Montana coal mine and has long eyed development of coal deposits in the Otter Creek Valley. “I think there is a good chance if that's what Montana wants to happen.”
At this week's conference, there will be plenty of people who want it to happen and some who may have different ideas.
Rep. Alan Olson, R-Roundup, who chairs a House energy committee, said he's hoping whatever plan comes out of the conference will include new coal-fired power plants in Montana.
The plants can provide affordable, long-term power for Montanans and for export to markets out of state, he said.
“We need to realize that in this state, for us to survive, we need an export economy, and one of the things we can export is energy, hopefully in a refined state,” Olson said.
Olson's sentiment is shared by Republican House Leader Roy Brown of Billings. But Brown said he wonders whether Schweitzer will use the summit to justify more emphasis on “alternative energy,” such as wind and solar power, which Brown believes is more expensive for consumers.
“I think there is a balance,” he said. “But let's develop some of the energy sources we have readily available: oil, natural gas and coal.”
Schweitzer said he doesn't believe alternative energy needs to cost more than traditional fuels. He also said the summit will look at all types of energy and not favor one over the other.
“We're bringing probably more than 600 people who are energy leaders from around the world to showcase Bozeman, Montana, and our school of engineering and Montana's potential as a center of clean-coal technology and wind power and ultimately the hydrogen economy,” he said. “I think it's a comprehensive energy summit.”
State Sen. Ken Toole, a Helena Democrat who chairs the Senate's energy committee, said he agrees that Montana needs to develop some new power sources.
Utility deregulation is a failure that gave away Montana's low-cost, regulated power to out-of-state interests, and now the state has to rebuild the system, he said.
But it's a mistake to focus on large-scale plants, he said.
“The juice and the jazz in Montana around energy is always about building plants,” Toole said. “And I think that's one of our problems. ... We ought to be looking at a variety of smaller resources.”
Energy developers, however, say they're not that interested in the whole policy debate. They just want a clean set of rules by which they can dig, drill or build and meet Montana's environmental standards.
Bruce Williams is vice president of operations for Fidelity Exploration & Production Co., the state's largest natural gas producer and only producer of coalbed methane.
Fidelity has 456 producing wells in Montana near the Tongue River, just north of Sheridan, Wyo., but has had to fight numerous legal battles to develop its Montana fields.
The conference is a good chance to have a dialogue between drilling supporters and opponents, but when the symposium is over, he and other developers still face what they see as an uncertain playing field in Montana.
“There still needs to be a predictable regulatory environment in Montana: If you start at A, and you comply with all these regulatory steps, you'll get to Z, and then you'll get a permit,” he said.
He also said he thinks that Montana and the country are a long way from not needing oil, gas and traditionally generated power.
“You still have this giant, fossil fuel-consuming economy in the world that can't just make a switch,” he said.
Some development supporters also are convinced that no amount of talking is going to lead to widespread agreement on policy.
They're hoping that when the summit is over, the Schweitzer administration will take what it learned and go forward and maybe, if they're lucky, the governor's plan will match up somewhat with their own hopes.
“It's going to depend on what the governor wants to do with the discussion,” Roundup Republican Olson said. “It's real nice to sit around and talk and come to some consensus, but you need some action.”
Editor's note: Today, the Missoulian concludes a two-part look at Gov. Brian Schweitzer's energy summit, which convenes Tuesday at Montana State University.
