Letter to the Editor, Great Falls Tribune 4 January 2008

Subect: Energy alternatives for rural Americans

As a rancher and farm co-op member, I appreciate the dilemma of my fellow 65,000 (not 120,000 as Great Falls is NOT part of the customer base by law except for 17 select pilot program customers and select businesses getting subsidized ECP power) Americans in Southern Montana Electric’s membership base (smegt.net).

However, their lights will not go out as Montana exports electricity and they can exploit wind energy, net-metering, and serious conservation and energy-efficiency practices as we’re starting to do in our own community. Other co-ops faced with losing power sources made contracts with Basin Electric, which does use coal but is broadening its renewable energy portfolio like Northwestern Energy.

The U.S. government identified 30% of SME’s service area as suitable for wind development and favored for USDA loans. This type of renewable energy brings cash to rural landowners, tax revenue for counties, high-tech jobs to small towns and more wind farms helps provide its own firming power.

The Highwood Generating Station will not provide us local power and any proposed coal-to-liquid facility will generate its own electricity. The distant customers of SME will not face the adverse local impacts on our air, water and land, particularly potential STRIP mining for coal, endorsed by our governor and SME (see cce-mt.org to verify), especially around Centerville, Stockett, Sand Coulee and Belt.

Please urge your Cascade County commissioners (454-6810) to not rezone farmland for industry and support wind farming. Send in your comments and speak out at the hearing January 15^th hearing.

Richard D. Liebert