29 August 2006

Kathleen Johnson

Montana Department of Environmental Quality

P.O. Box 200901

Helena, MT 59620-0901

Dear Ms. Johnson:

I am writing your department to comment upon the Environmental Impact Statement of the Highwood Generating Plant proposed near Great Falls, MT.

I am an emergency physician, and I lived and worked on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in the 1970’s. I currently practice in the emergency department of Sparks Regional Medical Center in my hometown of Fort Smith, Arkansas.

My wife and I maintain a home in Choteau, MT where we spend as much time as possible and where we will one day retire. My wife’s mother grew up on the family’s homestead north of Billings. I say all of this to demonstrate that I have a vested interest in and right to comment upon the EIS of the proposed Highwood Power Plant.

I would ask your Department to recommend that the Highwood Plant not be built for the following reasons.

1. Global warming is real. The speculation has ended. The science cannot be refuted. The current EIS demonstrates that tremendous amounts of particulate matter, CO2, and other gases from burning coal at the Highwood Plant will be expelled into the skies of Montana for years to come. Great Falls should not contribute to this worldwide problem by building a power plant, which the local area does not need for its immediate, and long-term electricity needs.

2. Smog has come to Montana. Thirty years ago, the skies were clear just about all year long. Now, there are many days when haze on the horizon obscures the Front Range from my home in Choteau. This increased haze is in large part related to the increased number of coal-fired power plants in the intermountain west. The proposed Highwood Plant will definitely worsen this problem. If new technology will clean up the burning of coal in this power plant, why build a smoke stack? The problem is that the combustion of coal at Highwood will not be clean and our skies will become dirtier with the building of this power plant.

3. Mercury contributes to birth defects in humans and animals and is linked to other human health problems. Our waters already have increased amounts of mercury from the burning of coal from other power plants in the region. The proposed Highwood Plant will dump some 40 pounds of mercury per year onto the land and into the waters in the downwind shadow of this generating plant. Great Falls is acting as a bad neighbor to Fort Benton, Lewistown, and points east if the Highwood plant is built. The Highwood Plant will definitely hurt the health of Montanans.

4. The proposed Highwood Power Plant will be located across the Missouri River from a significant historical site of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Placing this plant in this location will severely impact the continued tourist draw that this city has upon Americans from around the country. The tourism dollar will dwindle for Great Falls if this plant is built.

5. Montana’s long-term economy lies in tourism, agriculture, and timber.

Building another coal powered generating plant will harm these traditional Montana businesses. Global warming worsened by building the Highwood plant will affect the rancher and farmer when prolonged drought and severe summer temperatures reduce the high plains to desert. When the glaciers have melted in Glacier National Park and visibilities are reduced to five miles or less due to smog, will tourists still come to Montana?

Building the Highwood Power Plant is a bad idea. As the department in the state designated to protect the air quality of Montana, your agency can only be diligent in carrying forth its mandate by denying the permits requested for the building of the Highwood Plant. Montanans deserve clean air.

Sincerely,

James P. Bell, M.D.