Category: Montana Coal/Coal Bed Methane

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USDA pulls plug on Highwood coal plant financing

USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, citing a lack of funding, has informed Southern Montana Electric Generation & Transmission that it can’t finance the cooperative’s proposed coal-fired power plant east of Great Falls.

SME General Manager Tim Gregori said the news was not a surprise — and doesn’t spell the end of the project.

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SME is now pursuing “alternate financing,” Gregori said Wednesday. He added it was too soon to be specific, but said he is optimistic about SME’s chances of obtaining financing from another source.

Read the entire story here:

 http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080228/NEWS01/802280302

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MT Governor seeks investigation of former plant owner

Gov. Brian Schweitzer on Thursday asked the state attorney general to investigate whether the former owner of a power plant near Thompson Falls deceived regulators last fall to avoid paying more than $1 million in fines.

The governor’s request follows accusations by two environmental groups and others that former Thompson River Co-gen co-owner Barry Bates provided false or misleading information to the state Department of Environmental Quality.

In a letter to the governor this week, the Clark Fork Coalition, the Montana Environmental Information Center and more than a dozen Sanders County residents alleged that Bates wasn’t forthcoming about the company’s financial situation and its plans to sell the troubled plant to an investment firm.

Read the entire story here:

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2008/02/22/state/100st_080222_investigation.txt 

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MT Governor urged to investigate power deal

HELENA — Two environmental groups and 14 Sanders County residents are asking Gov. Brian Schweitzer to investigate whether the former owner of a Western Montana power plant deceived regulators last fall to avoid paying a stiff state fine.

In a letter faxed to the governor’s office this week, representatives from the Clark Fork Coalition and the Montana Environmental Information Center, along with some Sanders County residents, accuse former Thompson River Co-gen co-owner Barry Bates of misleading the state Department of Environmental Quality. They say Bates wasn’t completely honest about the company’s financial situation and its plans to sell the troubled plant to an investment firm.

Read the entire story here:

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080221/NEWS01/802210305