montanamaven

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer recognizes that one of the state’s most exciting economic growth potentials rests in the development of world class energy resources such as wind, oil, gas, biofuels, and biomass to help the nation as a whole wean itself off the dependency of foreign resources by utilizing Montana resources. Specifically, Montana leads the nation in wind energy power potential since the state is at the center of North America’s wind heartland. The state has adopted a renewable energy portfolio standard (in 2005) that requires 15 renewal power by the year 2015. Following are a few other incentives currently available from the state: 15-6-201(4) MCA Property tax exemption for buildings using renewable energy.15-6-225 MCA Property tax exemption for renewable generating facilities under 1MW.15-24-1401 MCA Property tax reduction for renewable generating facilities.15-31-124 MCA New or expanded industry tax credit.15-32-201 MCA Tax credits for individuals installing non fossil forms of generation.15-32-401 MCA Alternative energy investment tax credit.15-72-104 MCA Exemption from wholesale energy transaction tax.Governor Schweitzer was also the first governor to endorse the national “25 x ’25 Initiative,” a grassroots effort gaining bipartisan support to pass federal legislation requiring 25 of US energy demand be supplied by renewable resources by 2025. Since 2005 he has gained national attention for developing an energy plan in Montana that promotes conservation and developing the state’s abundant energy resources in a responsible manner.The state’s mission is to “support all types of wind development, from industrial scale wind farms to locally owned community wind models serving individual farms, businesses and homes, as well as the construction of electric transmission lines that deliver Montana’s wind power to high demand markets.