Status Quo

<a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/01/16/news/state/54-bill.txt" >Governor, developers split on bill</a><br />n<br />n<blockquote>If Montana is going to develop more of its wind, coal, oil and gas, it will need ways to move energy products beyond its borders, and a new state board or authority can help encourage new power lines and pipelines, supporters of the idea said Monday.<br />n<br />n"It really doesn't matter what fuel choice you prefer – coal, wind – it needs transmission," said John Alke, a lawyer representing Montana-Dakota Utilities. "It's become an all-important choice in fuel selection and site selection (for projects)."<br />n<br />nAlke and a host of other energy-industry lobbyists and developers testified Monday in favor of House Bill 114, by Rep. Alan Olson, R-Roundup, which would create a state energy "transmission and transportation authority."<br />n<br />nThe authority, appointed by the governor, would help plan, analyze and coordinate placement and construction of power lines and pipelines to move energy produced in Montana to markets – mostly outside the state.</blockquote><br />n<br />nThis is one of the bills that caught my eye and I gave a <a href="http://nowherethoughts.net/sarpysam/archives/2351-Energy-Authority-HB-114.html">provisional pass</a> on. Surprisingly though the Governor, who promotes our states energy heavily, doesn't support this bill that would help the energy industry grow in the state. I can't figure this one out at all, I would think if the Governor wants the state to move forward he would support this.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>Olson said that while the measure provides some public funding for the authority, it would not be financing any power lines or pipelines.<br />n<br />nThe end users of the product would pay to build the facilities, he said. The authority would do what it could to bring together private parties and public agencies to speed up construction, he said.</blockquote><br />n<br />nIt's not like this bill would allow the state to build the transmission lines, just help the process out which would help bring jobs to the state and allow us to use our vast resources to help the state out.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>The state has no single person or office to help find ways to make it easier for developers, and is often unrepresented at regional meetings talking about how the transmission system can be upgraded or improved, Jamison said. An authority would fill that gap, he said.<br />n<br />nBill Pascoe, a consultant representing Great Northern Power Development, the largest private owner of coal in Montana, said Wyoming, North Dakota and Idaho already have established state authorities on transmission lines and pipelines.<br />n<br />nMontana needs an authority to ensure that it won't lose out on the competition for building power projects, he said.</blockquote><br />n<br />nSo people in the energy business in Montana see a real need for this. I am not a big fan of more government as I have always held but I still give a provisional pass to this one. If the state wants more jobs and the ability to use some of the resources our state has for development we have to be able to move these products out of state. This provides jobs for us. I feel this authority that is being proposed falls within the guidelines of what our government is supposed to be doing, helping the people of our fair state out. Put a sunset provision in the bill and I would really be happy with it.<br />n<br />nThe way I see it the people that are opposed to this bill don't want to see the state of Montana move forward and attract jobs and businesses. They are happy with the way the state is and want to see the status quo continue.<br />n<br />n<strong>Status quo, you know, that is Latin for "the mess we're in." Ronald Reagan</strong>