Prospecting for Ideas: Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer Brings Western Governors Together for Energy Symposium

Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s energy conference this week is being bankrolled largely by the state’s biggest utilities and energy companies, and he makes no apology for it.

NorthWestern Energy has pledged $25,000 to help sponsor the two-day symposium, which starts Tuesday at Montana State University, and PPL Montana and MDU Resources Group have promised $15,000 each.

NorthWestern is the state’s largest gas and electric utility, and PPL Montana is the state’s dominant power generator. MDU, based in Bismarck, N.D., provides electricity and gas to much of Eastern Montana.

In all, energy firms are footing about 80 percent of the cost of the $75,000 conference.

Industry sponsorship of the conference has prompted criticism from environmental groups and others who say the summit goal is to devise an energy strategy that benefits the public, rather than any one industry.

"It’s wholly inappropriate for that to be funded by industry dollars," said Pat Judge, energy program director for the Montana Environmental Information Center.

MIKE DENNISON
Gazette State Bureau

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Montana Symposium: Energy Future of the West schedule http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2005/10/16/newsstate/hjjeijidjcgbea.txt

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Western Governors To Open Energy Symposium

Mont. Gov. Brian Schweitzer is making reliable energy a priority for his administration and plans to broaden the spotlight this week with a Western energy conference expected to draw about 600 participants, including at least five governors.

“The Montana Symposium: Energy Future of the West” kicks off Tuesday in Bozeman and features more than two dozen panels on a wide range of topics, including skyrocketing energy prices, the economic impact of energy development, environmental concerns, coal-to-gas technology and tribal perspectives on energy development.

Sponsors of the two-day symposium at Montana State University include energy companies and utilities National Grid, Encore, Itron, Montana-Dakota Utilities, NorthWestern Energy and PPL Montana; the Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association; BNSF Railway; the Natural Resources Defense Council; Montanans for Responsible Energy Development; and Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. Baucus agreed to help raise $5,000 from various sources, spokesman Barrett Kaiser said.

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