Montana
Montana could be an energy leader, but we’ve fallen behind
A blast of Arctic air is nothing new for Montana – most of us have plenty of practice dealing with extreme cold and working together to keep ourselves and our neighbors safe.
But something rang different this time. Instead of reassurance that we’ll get through this together, and that Montanans always have each other’s backs, some of our statewide leaders used the dangerous weather as another opportunity to snipe at their constituents and make divisive comments.
Matt Rosendale posed in front of an idle wind farm on Saturday, braving the cold weather to make potshots at one of Montana’s most valuable resources. In a separate post that same day, Rosendale mocked Montana’s new electric school buses, which will help protect our kids from air pollution. His point, in both cases, is that fossil fuels are the only way we can survive.
But Rosendale may not have been aware that Colstrip had been running at half speed for nearly a week before he made his posts. Around midnight on Jan. 6, Colstrip’s output began to decrease, and it remained around half its normal capacity until Friday night. By Saturday morning, the power plant was back to full steam.
Later that same day, a major natural gas storage hub in Washington State went offline, halting gas distribution to the 1,500 mile long Northwest Pipeline. This pipeline serves millions of homes throughout a multistate region, and the outage triggered immediate calls for reduced energy use.
But the lights stayed on. We all remained warm and safe. No one except energy nerds like me noticed these disruptions. Why? Because we have an amazing, interconnected electricity grid that allows energy from different sources and regions to go where it’s needed. It’s a great example of the power of cooperation.
While some people can’t resist the temptation to use an emergency to prop their favorite energy source (or major political donor, in Rosendale’s case), events like this stress the entire system. There is no single type of energy that solves every problem. But what does solve these problems is a diverse blend of energy sources connected by a robust grid. Want proof? Just look at Texas with their isolated grid – and frequent electricity shortages.
Meanwhile, Sen. Steve Daines used the subzero temperatures as an opportunity to mock the whole idea of global warming. This cringeworthy comment came while many people in his hometown were suffering in the cold in camping trailers and makeshift housing. But Daines at least got one part right: Global warming is indeed a global problem. When Arctic air flows southward, the Artic becomes unusually warm. So while Montana was frigid, it was raining in Greenland. As the globe continues to warm, it will continue to drive extreme weather events, even above and beyond our normal extremes.
But there are solutions to these problems, thankfully. Energy is shifting from fewer, larger (and heavily polluting) power plants to smaller, more diverse, and more nimble power generation. We’re seeing exciting innovations in efficiency, energy storage, and ways to capture energy from wind, sun and geothermal heat. Montana has tremendous potential – thanks to our natural resources, our location near energy-hungry markets on the West Coast, and most of all from our hardworking people. We could be national leaders in today’s energy technology. Alas, we are not. States all around us have passed us in manufacturing and deployment of modern and cleaner energy infrastructure. Montana seems stuck in the past, unable to envision a cleaner future, while places like South Dakota, Iowa, and Georgia have become the new wave of energy leaders.
Montana has almost everything we need to catch up with other states. But perhaps the first step is for our leadership to want to make Montana better and stronger, and help steer us toward new areas of expertise. Instead of using the cold weather as an opportunity to learn and plan, they used it as a means to divide and diminish us. And that, sadly, is a complete waste of energy.
Karin Kirk is a geologist, science journalist, and ski instructor from Bozeman.
MISSOULA — Sam Forstag edged out Ryan Busse to secure the Democratic nomination in Montana’s 1st Congressional District.
Busse conceded the race to Forstag on Wednesday morning. Forstag had trailed behind Busse Tuesday evening, but he made up ground as the votes were counted into the early hours of Wednesday morning. The other two candidates in the race, Russl Cleveland and Matt Rains, are sitting at third and fourth, respectively.
Forstag leads in close race for Montana’s 1st Congressional District
Forstag spent eight years as a wildland firefighter, including four as a smokejumper, and he’s been vice president of the local National Federation of Federal Employees union. Last week, U.S. House of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, held a rally in Missoula to support Forstag’s campaign.
He told MTN on Tuesday that his campaign has been for the working class.
“We got a whole lot of people here that have been working their tail off to finally get some working-class representation in Washington,” Forstag noted. “So proud of everything we’ve done and so grateful.”
Forstag further noted he wants Montanans to be able to afford groceries, have universal free childcare and restore and expand Affordable Health Care Act subsidies.
“Hearing people’s stories and struggles and commonalities in the ways that we’re all fighting in the system that does not serve us so often, and the government serves corporations and the richest people in this country more than working people. It has been frustrating and saddening, but it has also inspired so much hope in me, like the fixes we can actually make,” he told MTN.
The 1st Congressional District covers much of western Montana, including Kalispell, Missoula, Butte and Bozeman. It is currently held by Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, who chose not to seek reelection.
By securing the nomination, Forstag is slated tol face off against Libertarian candidate Nick Sheedy and Republican candidate Aaron Flint in November.
Brian Miller won the Democratic primary Tuesday for the U.S. House seat in Montana’s eastern district.
The Associated Press called the race for Miller, an attorney in Helena, who fended off a challenge from state Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, a longtime legislator from Box Elder, and Sam Lux, a farrier from Great Falls.
In the Republican and rural eastern district, any Democrat will be an underdog, and Miller will face off against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Troy Downing, who was unopposed Tuesday.
Libertarian Patrick McCracken is also running.
In the primary, Miller took 58% of the vote. Lux took 27% and Windy Boy took 16%, according to the Montana Secretary of State’s website.
In April, Windy Boy paused his campaign amid “serious sexual abuse” allegations raised by the Montana Democratic Party — but Windy Boy restarted his campaign and later called the allegations “political attacks.”
Miller is representing the victim of the alleged abuse and her mother, although he said he didn’t take on the role until after Windy Boy initially suspended his campaign.
The Western Montana Food and Farm Trail, a new agritourism initiative led by Farm Connect Montana, launches May 30, offering locals and visitors a new kind of food and farm adventure across Western Montana.
Running June 1 through October 31, the self-guided Trail spans more than 200 miles and features more than 100 farms, ranches, farmers markets, restaurants, breweries and food businesses across the Missoula, Bitterroot, Flathead and Mission Valleys. Along the way, participants are invited to meet growers and makers, taste what’s in season and experience the culture and care behind Western Montana’s local food community.
At the center of the experience is the passport-style Trail Field Guide, illustrated by Missoula-based artist Courtney Blazon. The guide features illustrated maps, curated itineraries, seasonal highlights and more than 100 local food destinations throughout the region. The guide also includes more than $130 in special offers from participating farms and businesses.
Participants can collect stamps at Trail stops along the way to qualify for prizes, giveaways, or simply as a way to document their journey. End-of-season prizes include raffles for three CSA memberships valued at over $600 each, as well as local food and farm gift certificates, product bundles and Courtney Blazon-designed market totes.
The Trail is a regional collaboration led by Farm Connect Montana in partnership with Land to Hand Montana, The O’Hara Commons and Sustainability Center and Abundant Montana, organizations working to strengthen local food systems across Western Montana. The project aims to support local farms and food businesses through expanded visibility and agritourism opportunities while reconnecting locals and visitors with the people, places and stories behind their food.
“In creating the Western Montana Food & Farm Trail, we hope to inspire both residents and travelers to discover the stories behind their food and connect with the people cultivating a more vibrant, resilient and locally rooted food community,” said Bonnie Buckingham, Executive Director of Farm Connect Montana. “Participation in the Trail is a win for everyone. It creates new opportunities for farms and local food businesses to reach wider audiences while encouraging participants to explore new places, support local producers and experience Western Montana in a more meaningful way.”
“Land to Hand is thrilled to partner with Farm Connect on the Food and Farm Trail to highlight the robust agricultural heritage of Western Montana,” said Gretchen Boyer, Executive Director of Land to Hand Montana. “This initiative is more than just a guide – it’s an invitation to celebrate and support the local farmers who nourish our communities every day. By connecting residents and visitors directly to the source, we’re strengthening our local food system and honoring the people and landscapes that sustain the Flathead Valley.”
To celebrate the launch, regional Trail launch parties will take place in Missoula, the Bitterroot Valley and the Flathead Valley throughout early June, featuring Field Guide distribution, local food vendors, giveaways and opportunities to learn more about the Trail.
Trail Field Guides ($10) will be available for purchase beginning May 30 both online and at participating businesses, farmers markets and community locations throughout the region. A full list of Field Guide purchase locations and details, as well as a digital map and Trail listings, special events and more information is available at farmconnectmontana.org/trail.
Funding for this project was made possible through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
Regional launch events
• Missoula Launch Party — LaLonde Ranch, Sun., June 7, 1-4 p.m.
• Bitterroot Launch Party — O’Hara Commons Market, Wed., June 10, 4-6 p.m.
• Flathead Launch Party — Backslope Brewing, Tue., June 16, 4-7:30 p.m.
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