Local climate advocates visit Montana’s members of Congress offices
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News from CCL Montana
MONTANA — Volunteers with all Montana chapters of Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) visited the offices of Senators Daines and Sheehy and Representatives Downing and Zinke between April 28 – May 5 to drop off letters from constituents urging them to support renewable energy in Montana and to protect energy tax credits.
The stash of handwritten letters from voters in Belgrade, Big Fork, Big Timber, Billings, Broadus, Bozeman, Charlo, Columbia Falls, Helena, Kalispell, Kila, Missoula, Red Lodge, and Whitefish were collected at local Earth Day events and chapter meetings. The letters highlight to elected officials just how many Montanans want to preserve the renewable energy incentives already sparking lucrative investments in Montana, such as the Calumet biofuels plant in Great Falls.
The tax credits were passed by the previous administration with the specific goal of bringing clean energy manufacturing home to the U.S., but the Republican-held Congress are now considering culling many of the credits to pay for their upcoming budget reconciliation bill.
Yet the incentives have proved popular. A September 2024 poll revealed broad support from nearly 9 in 10 voter s — including 78% of 2020 Trump voters.
Indeed, a growing list of Republican House members and Republican senators have spoken up to support the tax credits which will deliver lower electricity prices, greater energy security and well-paid clean-energy jobs.
“These tax credits enable companies like Puget Sound and Beaver Creek Wind to invest in Montana and build wind farms, for example,” said Mary Mulcaire-Jones, a CCL volunteer. “These projects make energy more affordable and reliable, and the tax revenues from these projects generate millions of dollars for county roads, infrastructure, and schools.”
“It’s vital to Montana’s economy that we impress upon our members of Congress that Montana’s mayors, county commissioners, rural electric coops, businesses, chambers of commerce, and community members all value the energy tax credits,” added Alex Amonette.
In addition to organizing events like these, all Montana CCL chapters regularly meet with Sens. Daines and Sheehy and Reps. Downing and Zinke to urge them to support federal policies that will help reduce climate pollution. CCL’s great relationships with all our members of Congress is key to winning their support for CCL’s climate policies.
“Here in Montana, we are living with the impacts of climate change. Our livestock, fisheries, tourism, agriculture, and outdoors industries are all affected by droughts, flooding, and increased wildfires,” said Amonette. “Respectful meetings like this show our members of Congress that we’re ready for climate action to increase jobs, build our economy, and make Montana a state that is open for business in innovative renewable energy production.”
Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a national nonprofit nonpartisan organization with local chapters across the country. The group has been the primary catalyst for the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. To learn more about our work, visit citizensclimatelobby.org.
