Article published Jan 29, 2008

Coal plant illusions

I will miss the friends I've made here.

But when ground is broken for the coal plant, I'll have four years to create my exit strategy. I refuse to live in a coal plant town.

I will also encourage my children to look elsewhere. I would rather not increase the risk of having an autistic grandchild.

The union guys who talked at the zoning hearing are shortsighted. The temporary jobs at the coal plant pale by comparison to a growing town. Bozeman, Kalispell and Missoula have all the work a union could want. They also know better than to welcome a coal plant. Their growth comes from professional or otherwise successful people choosing to live in an unspoiled environment.

They build big new homes as opposed to mobile homes that don't require local union members to construct. Recruiters are already having a tough time bringing in doctors. They could be promoting that we will have more pulmonary patients down the road.

Ruining the environment for temporary jobs is not worth it. Highwood, equaling half a million cars in CO2 equivalents, is only 10 percent cleaner than Colstrip.

Bush's gutted EPA will permit just about anything. Do we want to be the next Butte?

This isn't just a local issue. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal have covered Highwood. The whole world is frowning on us. The answer is wind, hydro, geothermal and solar firmed by gas. SME's market is next to Yellowstone, named for its geothermal nature.

— Steven C. Smith, Great Falls