#MTGOV Daily Rundown: Greg Gianforte Fights for Montana Coal Workers; Bullock Abandons the Coal Community

Colstrip United: “We are nowhere close to being done fighting for our community and other coal communities across the state and even the country.  We aren’t anywhere close to quitting.”

 “We aren’t anywhere close to quitting.”

 

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Greg Gianforte brings a clear message to Montanans: Republican victories in November mean new leadership who will stand up and fight for all the Montana jobs being threatened by job-killing energy regulations and these fringe environmental groups. A Republican controlled Land Board will ensure we responsibly develop our natural resources – creating more opportunities, prosperity, and high-wage Montana jobs.  

• “If they want things to continue the way they are, they can keep the leadership they have,” Gianforte said. “If they want something different, that believes bringing prosperity back to the state, more high-wage jobs and responsible natural resource development, we’re putting that plan forward and it’s an optimistic plan about the state of Montana.” –Billings Gazette, 07/14/2016

Governor Bullock is being labeled for what he really is: A coal phony. Bullock has abandoned Colstrip and all Montana coal workers. In fact, 5 of the Board Members on the MEIC – the group responsible for shutting down Colstrip Units 1 & 2 – wrote checks to the Bullock campaign.

• But Republicans accused Bullock of being a coal phony, pointing out the five members of the MEIC board of directors are contributors to the governor’s re-election campaign. –Billings Gazette, 07/14/2016

• “The firm MEIC that actually pursued this lawsuit against Colstrip, their board members have written checks, five of them have written checks to Gov. Bullock’s campaign,” Gianforte said. “He’s bought and paid for by special interests that shut down Montana jobs.” –Billings Gazette, 07/14/2016

• Campaign records show Gianforte’s allegation is true. –Billings Gazette, 07/14/2016

Greg Gianforte: “This is a catastrophic economic event for the entire state, certainty the epicenter is Colstrip.” Colstrip’s closure will devastate Montana: 7,000 Montana jobs will be eliminated, the economy will contract by $1.5 billion, income will be reduced by $500 million, and nearly $200 million in tax revenue will be gone.

• “The impacts are spread across industry,” said Patrick Barkey, director of the UM Bureau of Business and Economic Research. “I think it could be the biggest economic event in Montana, in over three decades. It’s a fairly large impact on the economy.” –KXLH, 11/18/2015
  

• Closing the coal-fired plants in Colstrip would reverberate across the state, he said, costing 7,000 jobs, $500 million a year of income and another $190 million in state-and-local tax revenue. –KXLH, 11/18/2015

• It said more than 7,000 jobs would be lost in 2025, with average earnings of almost $66,000 per job. –KXLH, 11/18/2015
  

• Sales of Montana businesses would decline by $1.5 billion and population could fall by 10,000 people, the study said. –KXLH, 11/18/2015