Climate proposal calls for 21 percent cut in CO2

A White House plan to address climate change by reducing carbon dioxide pollution would have a magnified impact in coal-rich Montana and consequences for both mining and electricity generation.

Draft rules for power plants unveiled Monday call for Montana to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 21 percent by 2030. 

Montana has the largest coal reserves in the United States — almost 120 billion tons of the fuel. It’s also home to the second largest coal-fired power plant west of the Mississippi at Colstrip, a 2,100-megawatt plant run by PPL Montana.

Supporters say the emission cuts are needed to stave off rising temperatures that are spurring more forest fires and depleting rivers. 

Critics including Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Daines warned the new rules could endanger mining jobs and drive up electricity prices.

The Montana Electric Cooperatives Association took a firm stance against new regulations for power plants, saying they could increase electricity rates for members of several of the state’s cooperatives.

“Depending on the specifics of the proposal, the regulations could result in a significant job loss across the state as coal-fired plants could be forced to shut down, and businesses forced to downsize due to increased energy costs,” a press release from the association states.

Mark Johnson, the general manager at Flathead Electric Cooperative, said the rules would not result in direct, short-term impacts here because coal makes up a very small percentage of the Flathead Electric’s energy portfolio.

However, he said, if coal-fired energy becomes less available, that puts more consumer demand pressure on other sources of energy such as hydropower. Flathead Electric Cooperative derives much of its electricity from the  Bonneville Power Administration’s federal hydropower system.

Johnson said he supports the association position.

‘We’re sympathetic with our fellow cooperatives across the country because there continues to be more regulations that force up the costs for our members,” he said.

Stephanie Wallace, director of human resources and communications for Flathead Electric, said there is philosophical opposition to the regulations because the EPA is using the 1970 Clean Air Act to regulate carbon dioxide emissions and there is a belief that law “was never really intended to regulate carbon.”