FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5th, 2019

HELENA – Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund (MCVEF) recently released a public opinion survey which highlights overwhelming opposition to Senate Bill 331, sponsored by Sen. Tom Richmond (R-Billings).

“We’re not surprised to see that 63% of Montanans reject this bill,” said Jake Brown, of the Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund. “This thinly veiled attempt by NorthWestern to increase corporate profits at the expense of ratepayers is a bad deal for Montana energy customers, and we
would urge the Montana Legislature to reject this bill.”

The survey found that 63% of respondents opposed the bill, and that 55% of those surveyed had very serious concerns about NorthWestern Energy bypassing the Public Service Commission to raise rates by $75 million. The bill also drew opposition from Montanans across the political spectrum, including 2 to 1 opposition from respondents who identified as Republicans.

Public Policy Polling surveyed 531 Montanans on March 4th and 5th by telephone and has a margin of error of +/- 4.3%.

Senate Bill 331 is currently scheduled for a hearing in the House Energy committee on Monday, March 8th.

CONTACT
Jake Brown
Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund
jake@mtvoters.org, 406-855-7821
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Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund (MCVEF) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose mission is to educate citizens and organizations in the basic techniques of effective civic engagement to

further environmental and conservation goals. MCVEF programs educate the public about critical environmental and public lands issues; promote greater non-partisan citizen involvement in the democratic process; and provide strategic tools to conservation organizations to be more effective.