State utility regulators have reopened public comment on a petition that would require them to consider the impacts of climate change as part of their decision-making.
Montana’s Public Service Commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday to extend public input on the proposal until early July.
The petition was submitted earlier this spring by over 40 environmental groups, businesses, doctors and students. It would have the PSC incorporate metrics like contributions to climate change and the social cost of greenhouse gas emissions into their regulation of utility power companies.
PSC President James Brown said more time was needed so commissioners could ask questions of supporters and opponents of the proposal.
“I think it is advisable for us, given the high public interest in this, to reopen the public comment period to allow our staff and the commissioners to ask questions which we were unable to do during the public hearing,” Brown said.
Public comment was previously scheduled to end in mid April. Commissioner Annie Bukacek was the one ‘no’ vote, saying she did not support the petition and believed the consideration of climate change is the sole responsibility of the Legislature.
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A judge has found the election district map for state utility regulators to be constitutional, despite being drawn in a way that favors Republican candidates. -
The Montana Public Service Commission elected new leadership this week. -
An advisory jury last week found that districts to elect utility regulators were not drawn in a way that favored one political party over another. This is the latest in an ongoing legal fight over the maps
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Customers of the state’s largest utility will see a temporary seven percent decrease in their electricity bill costs starting this month. -
In the coming days, Montanans will elect a new majority to the Public Service Commission. Those three new commissioners will regulate utility companies that provide homes with electricity, gas, and trash services.
