Winter 2021 Advocacy Opportunities
Click on the buttons below to get the deets! Be sure to click on the cryptocurrency button ahead the Feb. 11 County Commissioner vote.
2021 State Legislative session
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We're keeping you up on what, how and when to weigh in, as best we can. Head HERE for our dedicated 2021 legislative page. |
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100% Clean Electricity for Missoula
March 2021:
Our community is moving forward. -- slower than we'd hoped but things are happening. Climate Smart is working with partners to figure out how Missoula can best get to 100%. We're leading efforts to develop a ROADMAP which we hope to complete late spring 2021 (see below).
A significant component of the Roadmap to 100% Clean Electricity is an Implementation Plan being developed by Missoula County, the City of Missoula and NorthWestern Energy (NWE). and as per their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU, signed August 2021). The Draft Implementation Plan is HERE. The Implementation Plan contains 6 work plans that have potential to facilitate a significant start in our transition to 100%.
The City and County are taking comments on this draft plan through March 15 via Engage Missoula. Comment if you can.
Our short take is that these 6 workplans are a solid and necessary start - Phase 1 if you will - but we know we need more and we hope NWE will be willing to help us actually make a plan to get closer to 100%.
The six workplans include:
Background on 100%:
100% Clean Electricity Joint Resolution adopted by both City and County in April 2019
The resolution was adopted by the County Commissioners and City Council in April. See more about this effort on our 100% Clean Electricity page as well as coverage of this process on our In the News page.
This effort grew out of our 100% Clean Electricity Options Report in 2018 (the latest and greatest version is HERE). Since then, we've been working with the City, County, and an ad hoc group of partners to keep this effort moving forward and we are thrilled to have passed a joint resolution to adopt the goal of 100% clean electricity for the Missoula community by 2030. Thank you to all who showed your support and made this happen, by coming to the meetings, signing the open letter (nearly 500 signatories!) and spreading the word. This was a team effort and we are so proud of our community.
March 2021:
Our community is moving forward. -- slower than we'd hoped but things are happening. Climate Smart is working with partners to figure out how Missoula can best get to 100%. We're leading efforts to develop a ROADMAP which we hope to complete late spring 2021 (see below).
A significant component of the Roadmap to 100% Clean Electricity is an Implementation Plan being developed by Missoula County, the City of Missoula and NorthWestern Energy (NWE). and as per their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU, signed August 2021). The Draft Implementation Plan is HERE. The Implementation Plan contains 6 work plans that have potential to facilitate a significant start in our transition to 100%.
The City and County are taking comments on this draft plan through March 15 via Engage Missoula. Comment if you can.
Our short take is that these 6 workplans are a solid and necessary start - Phase 1 if you will - but we know we need more and we hope NWE will be willing to help us actually make a plan to get closer to 100%.
The six workplans include:
- Utility-scale renewable energy via a new "green tariff": Yes - we need this! This would not only help Missoula but other MT communities and together (Missoula City and County, Bozeman, Helena) they've hired a consultant to develop the strongest rate structure possible.
- Community-scale solar - this should be closer to or exceed 10 MW in size, not 3!
- Energy efficiency - NWE needs to offer more assurance that e.e. is a priority
- Pilot "time of use" rate structures - Yes to these.
- Rate structure for electric buses. Another yes - we're excited about moving to an all electric bus fleet and REALLY need a fairer rate to charge the buses.
- Energy data sharing. Yes, yes, yes - we really need these data to know if we're on the right trajectory - the right DOWNWARD trajectory.
Background on 100%:
100% Clean Electricity Joint Resolution adopted by both City and County in April 2019
The resolution was adopted by the County Commissioners and City Council in April. See more about this effort on our 100% Clean Electricity page as well as coverage of this process on our In the News page.
This effort grew out of our 100% Clean Electricity Options Report in 2018 (the latest and greatest version is HERE). Since then, we've been working with the City, County, and an ad hoc group of partners to keep this effort moving forward and we are thrilled to have passed a joint resolution to adopt the goal of 100% clean electricity for the Missoula community by 2030. Thank you to all who showed your support and made this happen, by coming to the meetings, signing the open letter (nearly 500 signatories!) and spreading the word. This was a team effort and we are so proud of our community.
Cryptocurrency - an enormous electricity hog!
Scroll down for information on the problems with Cryptocurrency and why addressing this industry locally is warranted.
UPDATE - Feb 12, 2021. The Board of County Commissioners voted to establish permanent zoning regulations for the cryptocurrency industry. We're grateful they recognize the imperative of addressing the climate emergency and meeting our clean electricity goals. Cryptocurrency mining operations in the unincorporated portions of Missoula County have been subject to zoning regulations since April 2019. These regulations are aimed at addressing adverse impacts generated by cryptocurrency mining operations, such as noise pollution, electronic waste disposal, and climate change impacts resulting from high energy consumption.
The County Commissioners considered making these regulations permanent at a hearing on February 11.
The key elements of the zoning regulations include:
- Authorization of cryptocurrency mining operations as conditional or special uses in areas zoned C-I1 (Light Industry) and C-I2 (Heavy Industry);
- Development or purchase of sufficient new renewable energy to offset 100% of the electricity consumed by the cryptocurrency mine; and,
- Verification that all electronic waste generated at the facility will be handled by a DEQ‑licensed electronic waste recycling firm.
This is not a moratorium on cryptocurrency mining. Commercial cryptocurrency mining facilities may operate in Missoula County if certain conditions are met.
Thank you for supporting these permanent Zoning regulations!
Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS) has more information about this process and the use of zoning regulations. Information is available on the county website or you can email Jenny Dixon or Diana Maneta.
BRIEF HISTORY
January 11, 2021: Missoula's Consolidated Planning Board votes in favor of the permanent zoning regulations. Thank You!
March 2020. Missoula's Board of County Commissioners (BCC) passed a renewal of the emergency interim zoning regulations (first adopted in April 2019) for cryptocurrency operations. This can be a complicated issue and the best way to understand this is to read the County Commissioner's excellent opinion piece from 2019: Missoula County commissioners explain new cryptocurrency mining regulations. It's in plain English and very useful! There is great information on the County's website.
Brief background on cryptocurrency in Missoula: Following an evaluation process and two public hearings in 2018, the Missoula BCC adopted interim zoning regulations that would place requirements on the energy-intensive cryptocurrency industry (such as bitcoin), including requiring facilities to offset their energy use with NEW renewable energy sources.
THE LOW-DOWN ON CRYPTOCURRENCY
These operations, which consume heaps and heaps of energy, are looking to Missoula County in order to exploit our relatively cool climate and low-cost electricity. The main reasons the County is concerned are 1) greenhouse gas emissions, 2) noise, and 3) electronic waste. Facilities can disrupt neighborhoods with their noisy operations, increase electricity rates due to costly infrastructure upgrades, and set back efforts to mitigate climate change by consuming obscene amounts of dirty fossil fuel energy - or simply using vast amounts of existing clean energy, forcing other would-be consumers of that clean energy to other not so clean sources. These issues will worsen if more facilities flood in.
In 2018 the Missoula BCC initiated a process to evaluate cryptocurrency impacts and possible ways to address them. There was an initial public hearing in June (see articles in the Missoula Current, Missoulian, and Independent) and a second hearing in September (here's a recap in the Missoulian). Head to the County's WEB PAGE for more.
For more about cryptocurrency and Bitcoin, including what they are and the climate change problems they create, see these articles. The County's web page also links to numerous articles and even YouTube videos about block chain.
Montana's Climate Solutions Plan
Montana's Climate Solutions Plan was released on September 9th 2020. The plan represents a year+ long process. Climate Smart's ED Amy served on the Council and, with a diverse group of council members, worked hard to develop strategies to meet carbon pollution reduction goals and build a healthy and resilient Montana.
Read the final plan and learn more about the plan process here.
Check out this article about the plan from the Montana Free Press.
What now? It's up to all of us to ensure the recommendations are implemented and strengthened. As Amy says, "The plan is chock full of needed strategies to build a resilient Montana and significantly reduce our emissions. It now needs leadership, policies, funding and all of us to help implement." What can you do today? Let your state legislators and the Governor know about your climate priorities and support for elements of this plan!
Montana's Climate Solutions Plan was released on September 9th 2020. The plan represents a year+ long process. Climate Smart's ED Amy served on the Council and, with a diverse group of council members, worked hard to develop strategies to meet carbon pollution reduction goals and build a healthy and resilient Montana.
Read the final plan and learn more about the plan process here.
Check out this article about the plan from the Montana Free Press.
What now? It's up to all of us to ensure the recommendations are implemented and strengthened. As Amy says, "The plan is chock full of needed strategies to build a resilient Montana and significantly reduce our emissions. It now needs leadership, policies, funding and all of us to help implement." What can you do today? Let your state legislators and the Governor know about your climate priorities and support for elements of this plan!
There are lots of ways to advocate for a healthy climate...
It's always a good time to speak out for climate solutions. You can write letters to the editor, get involved in election campaigns for those who support climate science and action, send an email to the Governor about how you would like to see Montana take action, or speak to your friends, neighbors, and local representatives.
Here are some ideas re: talking to others about Climate Change:
Because the best tonic for despair is action. |
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People's Climate March and RallyWe had great turn out for BOTH People's Climate March and Rallies - April 2017 and Sept. 2018. Thank you!!
Head here for media and more. |
Solar Jobs Rally in HelenaThanks for Rallying back in 2017
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Stay in touch for upcoming events...See our calendar and join our mailing list to stay up to date on advocacy opportunities.
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