In Whitehall: More MSTI debate

Town meeting draws hundreds of Whitehall residents

By Justin Post of The Montana Standard | mtstandard.com

WHITEHALL -- Hundreds of Whitehall-area residents turned out Wednesday for a town hall meeting on the proposed new Mountain States Transmission Intertie, or MSTI.

Residents had an opportunity to ask pointed questions of a NorthWestern Energy representative as well as state and federal officials working on the project.

Mike Cashell, NorthWestern chief transmission officer, heard criticism of the project as well as concerns from Jefferson County commissioners who say they haven't adequately been involved in planning.

Commissioner Tom Lythgoe said a portion of the project known as "scoping" has been completed, but questioned whether the agencies reviewing the project will allow more time for input from the local government.

"It's not a legal issue, it's a moral issue," he said.

Montana Public Service Commissioners Brad Molnar and John Vincent, the local representative for the commission, told the audience that it's up to them to challenge the project.

Vincent said he doesn't believe the project is economically viable, nor are there generators on contract to purchase space on the proposed line.

He believes the country should focus on reducing its energy use before building new transmission such as the MSTI line.

"I think it would serve as a monument to poor state and national energy policy," Vincent said.

Molnar, meanwhile, alerted the audience that he believes the new line could permanently link Montana energy prices to more expensive California markets, regardless of which alternative is chosen for the line.

A recently preferred alternative by the state Department of Environmental Quality calls for the line to run down the Jefferson Valley near Whitehall and then along Interstate 15 through Beaverhead County.

The line has been fiercely opposed by land and homeowners along the route, who say it would devastate property values.

The 500-kilovolt power line is proposed by NorthWestern to run from Townsend to near Twin Falls, Idaho.

Residents questioned whether the project would serve to boost company profits rather than the betterment of Montana or the nation.

And while a majority of the line would cross private property in the Whitehall area, the question brought out a large audience that included many ranchers and property owners.

Jefferson County commissioners told the audience they have sued over the drafting of an environmental impact statement, or EIS, for the project with hopes of biding their time to review the documents.

The release of a draft EIS has been stalled pending the outcome of that lawsuit. The case continues Sept. 8.

Longtime DEQ employee Tom Ring of the agency's major facility siting section, said he was aware of only one EIS during his career that hadn't cleared the permitting process.

The DEQ ultimately makes the final decision on permitting following the EIS and public comment process, and that decision may be appealed.

- Reporter Justin Post may be reached at Justin.post@lee.net or by telephone, 496-5572.