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Montana politics, elections and legislative news

Gov. Bullock "Disappointed" In Obama's Clean Power Plan

Gov. Steve Bullock. File Photo
Christopher B. Allen
Gov. Steve Bullock said he's "disappointed" by President Obama's Clean Power Plan. File photo.

Governor Steve Bullock issued the following statement on the Clean Power Plan President Obama announced today:

“At first glance, it looks as though the Obama administration has moved the goal post on us. I am extremely disappointed by this. I understand that we need to address climate change but how we do so has to work for Montana. The rule is very complicated and we will carefully review it and make sure we fully understand the implications for Montana’s economy and the future of energy in our state.”

Bullock also called upon the Obama administration to immediately dedicate more funding to low-carbon coal research, saying: "If we are to address climate change, we need to do so in a common sense way. There is no practical path forward that doesn’t rely on coal for the next several decades and we need to invest now in ways to make coal generation cleaner."

Montana's Attorney General Tim Fox also released a statement criticizing the Clean Power Plan.

"President Obama is attempting to unilaterally impose a national energy policy rather than work with the people’s representatives through the legislative process," Fox says.

"Like many other states, Montana is considering all available legal options, especially in light of the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court just struck down a recent EPA regulation because the agency acted beyond its authority under the law."

Eric Whitney is NPR's Mountain West/Great Plains Bureau Chief, and was the former news director for Montana Public Radio.
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