Last summer, Governor Bullock created the “Montana Climate Solutions Council” and tasked it with producing a Climate Solutions Plan by June 2020. The goal was to provide the governor, legislature, and others recommendations aimed at decreasing greenhouse gas emissions preparing Montanans for climate impacts. The council has released its draft recommendations and is now seeking public comment.
Please use the tool on this page to submit comments to the council.
The full suggested comments are displayed below.
To edit the comments click “Read or Edit the Petition” at the top in yellow. (Note: To close the box once done editing, click outside of the box, but still within this website.)
For more information on the Climate Solutions Council, and to see the full draft of the Climate Solutions Plan, see this Montana Department of Environmental Quality website.
Suggested Comments Copied Below
Council Members,
Thank you for your efforts in producing the draft Montana Climate Solutions plan. In addition to the specific comments below, please make it a priority that implementation begin immediately for those measures which can begin right away and that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
— Please support efforts to expand Montana’s ability to understand climate risks and prepare for change. In particular, recommendations 1A through 1H should be funded and acted upon.
— Montana needs more accessible climate science. Please support a larger Montana Climate Office with more staff, stronger Montana University System climate coordination, research and funding, and increased support from the state to communities so they can develop greenhouse gas reduction and climate adaptation strategies.
— Recommendations 2A through 2E and 2G through 2K are essential for Montana to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and avoid locking into new fossil fuel infrastructure. Montana is deficient in programs and funding to support energy efficiency and conservation and the key strategies identified, if enacted swiftly and with financial support, are essential. They will save Montanans money while improving public health.
— A statewide energy efficiency standard would save all Montanans money.
— Raising the size cap on distributed generation solar systems (aka rooftop solar) would benefit schools, libraries, and other public buildings in their community – saving taxpayer dollars and creating educational opportunities for our youth.
— Support adoption of low emission vehicle standards and actions that will incentivize/promote/enhance electric vehicles.
— Please encourage and support community goal setting, energy data collection across sectors, and planning efforts to reduce emissions and save money in local communities.
— Voluntary controls on oil and gas development are inappropriate. The industry has had decades to voluntarily curb greenhouse gas emissions and has failed to do so. Methane emissions from oil and gas development are easily controlled and should be required. The time has past for voluntary commitments from this greenhouse gas producing sector.
— Carbon capture and sequestration is not an appropriate climate solution for coal-fired electricity. This unproven technology only makes dirty, expensive coal plants even more expensive and risky. The final recommendations should focus on reducing reliance on coal-fired electricity instead of relying on misguided, expensive, risky, and unproven technology.
Thank you,
