Ask the Montana PSC to consider climate change in utility regulation
This week, Park County Environmental Council joined a coalition of 40 Montana businesses and organizations to officially petition the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) in order to create a rule that requires the PSC to consider climate change in its regulation of electric and gas utilities.
You can read the Petition here and you can read a story from the Daily Montanan here.
This proposed PSC rule protects vulnerable people, wildlife, watersheds, and large working landscapes that we depend on here in Montana and Park County. This rule is about the clean air we breathe, the clear rivers our kids fish in, the wide-open spaces that define who we are, and the Montana our kids will inherit.
We are asking the PSC to honor the oath they took to uphold the MT Constitution and to deliver on their mission!
If you support this rule, we are asking you to tell the PSC to support this petition!
The petition builds upon the success of the Held v Montana case that was decided last year, concluding that “the science is clear that there are catastrophic harms to the natural environment of Montana and Plaintiffs and future generations of the State due to anthropogenic climate change. The degradation to Montana's environment, and the resulting harm to Plaintiffs, will worsen if the State continues ignoring [greenhouse gas] emissions and climate change.”
You can register for an on-line event with Cathy Whitlock and Susan Dana, discussing the impact of the recent Held v Montana decision, March 25th, at noon.
What is the PSC?
As regulator of Montana’s public electric and gas utilities, the elected Commission has significant control over decisions by utilities that lead to the burning of fossil fuels and the resulting climate change impacts of greenhouse gas emissions. The PSC sets rates that consider economic impacts on utility customers; they ensure that ratepayers have continued access to utility services that are affordable, reliable and in the public interest. Like others, we believe they should be considering the impacts of climate change on all Montanans.
The Montana Constitution requires our government agencies to consider climate as part of our right to a clean and healthful environment, so it’s time for the PSC to make it official!
Here are two ways you can support the petition:
Send a short personalized email to the PSC, pschelp@mt.gov explaining how climate change impacts you and why climate considerations are important. A template can be viewed here.
Attend a PSC meeting in person or online to make a public comment. The next PSC meeting is Tuesday, March 5th at the Bollinger Conference Room (1701 Prospect Avenue) in Helena. You can also join virtually by calling 1-800-646-6150 or email pschelp@mt.gov by 4:30 the Monday before the meeting to get registered. Meetings are held regularly on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m.