Billings Gazette - Quist, Gianforte support coal, but differ on policy

Press Release

Billings Gazette: Quist, Gianforte support coal, but differ on policy (04/04/2017)

U.S. House candidates Rob Quist and Greg Gianforte have differing approaches to Montana's coal economy, though neither advocates putting a stop to mining or burning the fossil fuel.

Both candidates told Lee Montana Newspapers they will work to keep Montana's coal economy running, though Quist, a Democrat, and Republican Gianforte split on whether President Donald Trump's recent actions to encourage coal development were beneficial.

"Coal will continue to be a significant part of our nation's energy portfolio and we must make the necessary investments in clean coal technology," Gianforte said. "It's essential that America continue to lead the way in clean coal technology and that we don't cede leadership on this issue to other countries like China."

"There's no doubt that climate change is real and affects Montana farmers and ranchers and our outdoor industry," Quist said. "If we don't take action, this could have a serious impact on our farms, ranches, and our economy."

Gianforte does not think shutting down coal-fired power plants is a recipe that helps climate change.

"The climate is always changing. The reality is, the U.S. could shut down every coal-fired plant in the country and global CO2 emissions would have a negligible impact," Gianforte said. "Even President Obama's former EPA Administrator, Gina McCarthy, testified before Congress that U.S. action would have an insignificant impact on global CO2 emissions. It would be grossly irresponsible to eliminate over 7,000 Montana jobs and see little to no reduction in global carbon emissions."

"Montana will now have the opportunity to develop and sell more of its coal resources. This will put more Montanans to work, generate additional tax revenues for our schools and communities, and provide a reliable and affordable energy source for Montana families," Gianforte said. "It's more important to be transparent and ensure coal developers have the certainty they need and that rates don't make coal development uneconomical as it's important for job creation, tax revenue, and economic growth."

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