Energy Development

I see there is a <a href="http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071202/NEWS01/712020304">new proposal</a> out there to use some of the Otter Creek coal that the state of Montana is sitting on. Sounds interesting to say the least. <br />n<br />nWhy is it necessary to transport the coal almost 500 miles from Ashland to Butte to do this? Why can't they build the plant at Ashland and save all the expense of moving the coal? I wonder if the carbon cost of moving this coal is figured into the calculations of this plant?<br />n<br />nIn no way am I sold on this coal to gas to algae to ethanol idea this dude, William Bruce, is proposing. It sounds awful far fetched to me. It might work, I don't know. I would just like to know why Butte instead of closer to the coal like Ashland.<br />n<br />nI would also like to know when the Governor is going to actually lease out the coal in the Otter Creek tracts. I keep hearing proposals on how the coal is to be used but there still is not an operational coal mine there. <br />n<br />nA little hint <a href="http://governor.mt.gov/governor/govbio.asp">Gov. Brian Schweitzer</a>, to utilize the coal in the Otter Creek tracts, you have to have an operational coal mine. An operational coal mine requires you to lease these tracts out for development. Since you are on the Land Board, maybe you should do something about this Governor. Then maybe we can consider what to do with the coal. Trying to have a use for the coal before there is a mine in operation is like putting the cart before the horse, it just doesn't work.<br />n<br />nI'm not convinced this new proposal is a good one or not. I don't know enough about it. I would just like to see the state lease the tracts out so there would be some kind of movement on the ground. Then we can worry about maybe using the coal in state instead of shipping it to the East Coast. One step at a time though. The tracts need leased first.<br />n<br />n<strong>If you're climbing the ladder of life, you go rung by rung, one step at a time. Don't look too far up, set your goals high but take one step at a time. Sometimes you don't think you're progressing until you step back and see how high you've really gone. Donny Osmond </strong>