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HE PLAINS TRUT THOMEGROWN PROSPERITY H VOICE OF THE NORTHERN PLAINS RESOURCE COUNCIL CONFERENCE SEPT. 10, See P. 5 VolumeVolume 45,44, Issue 3,4, SummerAutumn 22016015 Inside: Let the sun shine! n A word from our Chair...Page 2 n People of the Plains – Becky Mitchell...................................3 n Why I'm a Monthly Sustainer – Julia Page...............................3 n Homegrown Prosperity Conference coming................5 n Local Food Challenge.............5 n Radioactive waste dumped...6 n Federal coal leasing reform...7 n Celebrating 10 years in Home on the Range...............8 n Members mobilize against coal export terminal................9 n Governor shows path to clean energy future.......................10 n Net metering agreement reached.................................11 n Celebrating demise of Tongue River Railroad.......................12 n Northern Plains makes history and will archive it.................13 n Annual Meeting moves.........14 Photo by Tailyr Irvine/Billings Gazette, used with permission n Wild & Scenic Film Fests.....14 Northern Plains members and friends celebrate the new 24-kilowatt solar array over the Home on the Range parking lot on June 25. Along with the existing 10-killowatt array on the building, Home on the Range is now 100% solar powered. n Council Roundup............14-15 See story and more photos on Page 8. n Growing Our Membership....16 Five coal ports down, one to go On May 9, the U.S. Army Related stories on Pages 7 & 9 Environmental Impact Statement for Corps of Engineers denied the final proposed coal port – Longview, the permit application for the six proposed Pacific Northwest coal Washington’s, proposed Millennium O ports to be shelved. It was the largest proposed Gateway Pacific coal export Bulk Terminals. terminal in northwest Washington. It and would have been located at Cherry Northern Plains members participated determined that the terminal, if built, Point near Bellingham, Washington. vigorously in both processes, traveling would violate the Lummi Nation’s Just a few weeks later, the Washington long distances to testify on the impacts sovereign treaty rights. Department of Ecology wrapped up those projects would inflict The denial makes Gateway the fifth of its public comment period on the draft on Montana. A+ organizing success in Carbon County ocal affiliates are part of the initiated measures to protect water lifeblood of Northern Plains. resources and property rights during LCampaign plans are our maps oil and gas development. Their nearly to winning issues. You – the members three-year campaign resulted in a – are the leaders and voice of this once-thought-impossible victory. organization. It started in October of 2013, CCRC These are some of our basic principles members quickly responded when of grassroots organizing. And here’s a out-of-state oil company Energy We are thrilled story of how Carbon County Resource Corporation of America (ECA) about what the Council (CCRC), a local affiliate in promised prosperity and to “bring Commissioners southcentral Montana, followed these something like the Bakken” to Carbon have done for principles and succeeded. County residents. the future of Members of Carbon County Resource Council gather before Carbon” County. In fact, on July 18, 2016, the Carbon a meeting of the Carbon County Commissioners in which – Susann Beug new, stricter rules on oil and gas development were passed. County Commission approved citizen- Continued on Page 4 CCRC Chair The Plains Truth Summer 2016 Page 1 TO THE MEMBERS PEOPLE OF THE PLAINS A new, sunny day for Home on the Range Becky Mitchell finds community in Northern Plains n a bright, windy morning this of Resource Councils and Western Native philosophy put into practice. Since HOTR s I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized June, a crowd of about 100 people Voice, could be even more energy efficient. was completed in 2006, we've saved over how connected to the landscape Ocelebrated the 10th anniversary of To that end, a tremendous infrastructure $80,000 on gas and electric bills compared we all are. The landscape has Home on the Range and the unveiling of our campaign was launched, hundreds of people to a conventional building of the same size; “A Northern formed a big part of who I am.” new, truly impressive solar installation. contributed, and we were able to install a new we've saved upwards of $750,000 on rent; Plains is an solar array to make the building 100% green and we've held over 60 Northern Plains Growing up in Livingston, Becky Mitchell organization Leading up to the celebration, I thought a lot energy powered. board meetings and hundreds of special spent much of her childhood on the I really feel about what Home on the Range events and important issue-related meetings. Yellowstone River or on her uncle’s farm, connected (HOTR) has meant to me, and But the infrastructure campaign is about fostering a growing connection to water to, ”both how the building itself embodies more than the solar array. It’s about building Part of sustainability is also going local and and land. When she graduated from the philosophically the Northern Plains commitment the long-term strength of our organization. being involved with the community. We’re University of Montana in Missoula, she and in the way to sustainability and community. I Northern Plains is rightly known as a scrappy proud to hire unionized, local builders and deeply loved the mountains and rivers that we involve our was reminded that the investments fighter, a lean organization that takes on the electricians for our remodel and solar array. defined her western Montana childhood, but members. of love, care, and, yes, money are biggest challenges. And, like in any good We’re glad we could buy solar panels made it wasn’t until moving to Lewistown for work – Becky Mitchell needed to make a house a home. underdog story, we actually win. A lot. But in the U.S., reuse materials throughout the that she developed a deep love of the plains. It makes HOTR more than just instead of resting on our laurels, the question building, and even serve refreshments from a funky, energy-efficient building has arisen “How can we do more? How can local producers at our anniversary party. Becky first encountered Northern Plains in in downtown Billings – it’s also a we be stronger in the future?” Going forward, we hope to expand the the early 1980s when she attended an Annual beacon of community and hope solar project so it powers even more of our Meeting. She was immediately drawn to the In addition to becoming 100% solar powered, Photo by Neal Hines for so many across Montana. Billings community. people and the feeling of community she our infrastructure campaign is helping us to Becky Mitchell, right, lays out her vision during a community discussion earlier this year on observed among them. Becky was living in proposals for the former Corette Power Plant site on Billings’ riverfront. Familiar and new faces gathered that morning build our staff capacity, record our incredible Walking the talk isn’t always the easiest or Red Lodge at the time, and began attending to learn about HOTR’s sustainability history, upgrade our technology, and reach out most convenient choice. But we think we’re meetings about a local gravel pit mine. if you’ll excuse the pun.” irritating and Becky worried about the health credentials. They heard the story of how a to even more Montanans. This effort will help better off in the long run for investing in of kids growing up nearby. She remembers it Admittedly, she had a “bad habit of going to Becky believes we are living in an exciting windowless, abandoned eyesore on a busy us launch new campaigns (like sustainable soil sustainable projects and organizational being “eye-opening to observe the issues of meetings and not joining,” but eventually she time, on the brink of “a new energy Billings street was transformed into the first building and expanded clean energy access fortitude. I’m proud to know that, because increased rail traffic in a neighborhood with joined and has been involved ever since. paradigm” that includes good jobs and justice LEED-platinum certified building in 14 for all Montanans) and support our successful so many have invested together, our Home lots of young families,” and now that the for workers who have been displaced by states. How that example inspired others in current campaigns. on the Range will continue to be a place for “Northern Plains is an organization I number of oil trains have increased as well, the fossil fuel industry. She wonders where Billings to follow suit and how, 10 years later, community, innovation, and resilience for really feel connected to,” Becky said, “both there are much more extreme concerns, such Up-front investments to strengthen and this transition may take us and relishes the Billings is home to several LEED platinum decades to come. philosophically and in the way we involve our as a derailment. stabilize our organization do pay off. Home opportunity to help steer it in whatever way buildings. And Northern Plains knew that our members.” on the Range is the perfect example of this she can. Becky loves that being a member of Northern home, shared with the Western Organization – Kate French, Northern Plains Chair A Northern Plains leader Plains gives her an avenue to do something Trains through neighborhood The Plains Truth Today, Becky is Northern Plains’ Board about the issues that concern her, but the The Plains Truth is published by Northern Plains Resource Becky lives in Billings and works at a thing she loves most is the community. Council. Northern Plains members receive The Plains Treasurer, as well as a member of the Coal Truth as one of the benefits of membership.