Political Quotes

“Mr. President, made-in-Montana energy means good Montana jobs that on average pay two to three times more than the State average. In fact, Montana's ability to create more good-paying energy jobs is immense. Our State leads the Nation in recoverable coal deposits. We are the Nation's fifth largest producer of hydropower, with 23 hydroelectric dams across the State, and we are fifth in wind energy potential. In fact, Montana was center stage in the national energy debate and provides our Nation a template of a true ``all of the above'' energy portfolio. We have coal, natural gas, oil, as well as renewables such as hydro, wind, biomass, and solar opportunities. What makes our State most valuable are the people who make our energy systems work--towns such as Colstrip, MT, that build communities around livelihoods that are reliant on good-paying energy jobs. That is the good news. Here is the bad news: Montana energy jobs are under assault. Over the past 2 weeks, I heard from Montanans about the future and importance of made-in-Montana energy and made-in-Montana good-paying jobs. During my week-long tour across our State, I once again saw our vast natural resources and our true energy potential, whether it was touring a wind farm near Baker, MT, on the far eastern side of our State, or seeing the hydropower facility at Helena's Hauser Dam, or hosting a townhall at Colstrip.…”