Credit: Thom Bridge/Independent Record
Our legislators, the folks we elected to represent us, are leaving Helena having missed a huge opportunity to create good jobs and advance the personal freedom of Montana families, small businesses and communities. Rather than seizing the opportunity presented by solar energy, the Legislature chose to hamstring a promising industry and limit energy freedom.
There seems to be a vision problem in Helena. The Legislature failed to recognize solar energy as a serious and growing player in energy markets and that Montanans stand to benefit handsomely if we embrace this new world. The solar industry created 51,000 jobs nationally in 2016. That amounts to one out of every 50 jobs added in the United States. Unfortunately, Montana misses out on this opportunity.
This session has shown, yet again, the outsized influence the utility has over state energy policy. Thousands of Montanans weighed in this session in support of the Solar Jobs and Energy Freedom Act, and then watched NorthWestern Energy kill this proactive legislation that would […]
Regulated monopolies need to go. Montana of all places should be galloping with solar & energy independence.