Government Energy Policy, Business and Technology

Montana reviews controversial coal-saving bill, passes community transition actions

Utility Dive: As coal becomes increasingly uneconomic compared to natural gas and renewable resources, environmental advocates continue to argue that offering lifelines to coal plants is against the long-term interest of ratepayers and communities.

"There are a wide variety of coal bills from a wide variety of perspectives on the future of the coal industry," Anne Hedges, deputy director of the conservation group Montana Environmental Information Center (MEIC), told Utility Dive via email. "Some seek to soften the blow and help communities with the inevitable transition in energy markets. Others do everything possible to keep this massive plant operating regardless of the impacts on the rates of 370,000 Montanan’s that are captive customers of our largest monopoly utility."

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