Public Invited to Help Design State's Energy Future
Montana lawmakers are asking the public to weigh in on how best to update the state's energy policy.
The Legislature directed its Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee to review the policy when it passed Senate Bill 290 earlier this year. Throughout August, committee members would like to hear recommendations and comments from stakeholders, state agencies, and the general public on three specific issues:
Rebuilding and extending transmission lines;
Integrating wind energy; and
Maximizing the use of state land for energy generation.
The committee is especially interested in hearing about specific changes that may be needed to state law on these three topics.
The current state energy policy is "to promote energy efficiency, conservation, production, and consumption of a reliable and efficient mix of energy sources that represent the least social, environmental, and economic costs and the greatest long-term benefits to Montana citizens." (90-4-1001 MCA)
The committee hopes to draft legislation creating a more in-depth policy for consideration by the 2011 Legislature.
Over the next nine months, the committee will ask for public comment on other energy issues. More information is available under the "Energy Policy" link on the committee's Web page at www.leg.mt.gov/etic.
To comment on the three issues outlined above, mail comments by Aug. 31 to Sonja Nowakowski, Legislative Services Division, P.O. Box 201704, Helena, MT 59620-1704. You may also e-mail comments to snowakowski@mt.gov. Please put "Energy Policy" in the subject line.
Committee members will discuss the public comments at their next meeting Sept. 24 in Helena.
