LETTER: A real leader would accept climate change

Recently Sen. Daines claimed two power plants in Colstrip will be shut down, blaming it on “fringe extreme environmentalist groups” etc.

Montana PBS shows the real reason is the Pacific Northwest is transitioning to renewable energy. Large wind farms are springing up on the east side of the Cascades and the Columbia Gorge.

The coal market is shrinking, replaced by cheaper natural gas. Please note a large source of Daines’ campaign funds come from the coal, oil and gas lobbies, including over $63,000 from the Koch brothers.

A responsible leader acknowledging the science would make it clear that climate change is real, urgent and threatens our future.

The decent, hardworking people in Colstrip are not just in the coal business, but the ENERGY business. It is a disservice to Colstrip to portray them as victims. A real leader would help Colstrip transition to a sustainable economy.

Sen. Daines, partnering with Sen. Tester, could approach their Northwest colleagues to help Montana partner with the Pacific Northwest in developing renewable energy for the West Coast. Key power lines, including Colstrip’s are already in place. Montana has tremendous reserves of untapped wind power.

The ramp-up of renewables can compensate the ramp-down of coal with minimal impact on the local economy. By partnering with Northwest we could gradually shut down the coal-burning power plants and build renewables. Current operators could gradually shut down and clean up the mines. Montana colleges could retrain our workers in renewable energy technologies at low or no cost to them, giving preference to those whose jobs are directly threatened.

Sen. Daines appears either unwilling or unable to speak the truth and step up to the challenge. He could serve the people of Montana better.

Montana needs leaders with the vision and integrity to lead our state into the future. —Lowell Rathbun, Kila

Water compact full of legal violations

In  April 2015, the Flathead Joint Board of Control filed a complaint in Montana’s 20th Judicial District disputing the legality of the Montana Legislature’s vote passing SB262, the CSKT Water Compact Bill.

The Flathead Joint Board of Control contended that that since SB262 conferred immunity from lawsuit on the state for monetary damages, court costs, and attorney fees, it required a two-thirds majority of both houses of the Legislature per Article II Section 18 of the Montana Constitution. Neither house complied.

The issue was heatedly discussed in the House and after assurances from the Attorney General’s Office that all was well, with a simple majority, the 53 members of House violated the state Constitution and passed SB262 53-47.

On July 18, Judge Manley ruled that SB262 did indeed confer new immunity on the state and therefore required a two-thirds majority vote. Thus members of both houses of the Legislature violated the provisions of the state Constitution.

This is clearly a victory for the irrigators represented by the Flathead Joint Board of Control. Further, the compact itself is full of constitutional violations.

As the saying goes “There’s plenty more where that came from!” So it is highly likely that more litigation, focused on the state’s lack of protection for ALL its citizens and their property rights, looms in the future.

It is my understanding that Judge Manley discussed the issue of severability and ruled that the offending clause could be severed from the compact, leaving the rest of the compact in place. I would expect that the “severing action”  would have to take place in the Legislature since this is a revision to SB262 as originally presented to the lawmakers.

It is interesting to note that during the 2015 legislative deliberations, compact proponents were adamant that no amendments to the SB262 would be allowed. I guess that position will have to change in light of Judge Manley’s ruling.

—Jerry Laskody, St. Ignatius, Flathead Joint Board of Control commissioner