Article published Jan 3, 2008

Jan. 15 county hearing takes on coal-fired plant rezoning issue

By RICHARD ECKE

Tribune Staff Writer

Cascade County commissioners have set a public hearing for Jan. 15 on whether to approve heavy industrial zoning for the proposed $720 million coal-fired Highwood Generating Station east of Great Falls.

After a daylong hearing last month, members of the County Planning Board recommended by a one-vote margin that commissioners approve the rezoning from agricultural to heavy industrial use.

The commission's public hearing on the matter is 3 p.m. Jan. 15 in the Trades & Industries Building at Montana ExpoPark, 3rd Street Northwest and 4th Avenue Northwest.

A seven-minute speaking limit will be enforced to give many people a chance to talk. County officials recommend written comments be submitted by 5 p.m. Jan. 9 to the Board of County Commissioners, 325 2nd Ave. N., Great Falls, MT 59401.

Commissioners are expected to take additional public comments following the Jan. 15 hearing before rendering a decision.

The commission previously voted 2-1 in favor of the rezoning, but a lawsuit prompted county officials to rescind the decision, alter county zoning laws and start the rezoning process over.

Salem Road-area property owners Duane, Mary, Scott and Linda Urquhart have requested the zone change. The project's developer is Southern Montana Electric Generation & Transmission Cooperative, which is composed of five Montana rural electric cooperatives and the city of Great Falls. The city wants to own 15 percent of the project, but must find separate financing to do so.

The co-ops hope to obtain financing from the federal Rural Utilities Service, although officials recently said SME may explore private financing as an alternative.

Congressional action could affect whether money is available through the Rural Utilities Service finance the bulk of the Highwood plant.

Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives still must form a conference committee to decide final language in the 2007 Farm Bill. The Rural Utilities Service's budget is included in that bill.