D C Circuit weighs dispute that could limit PURPA s reach - Governors Wind Energy Coalition governorswindenergycoalition.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from governorswindenergycoalition.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Utilities battle over future of mass-emitting coal plant Source: By Benjamin Storrow, E&E News • Posted: Sunday, May 9, 2021
A controversial Montana law would extend the life of the Colstrip power plant, one of the nation’s biggest emitters of carbon dioxide. Rachel Cernansky/spotreporting/Flickr
For decades, electricity generated at a gargantuan coal plant on the Montana plains was shipped west to the growing metropolises of Portland, Ore., and Seattle. Now, the long-standing trade is on the brink of collapse.
The breakdown was caused by a growing cultural divide on energy issues. Lawmakers in Oregon and Washington want to cut the cord on coal as part of a wider attempt to green their power supplies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Montana legislators are eager to save the carbon-intense plant and the jobs and tax revenues that come with it.