Missouri River Conservation District
Representatives from Southern Montana Electric will present information on the proposed Highwood Generating Station during the Missouri River Conservation Districts Council’s quarterly meeting at the Big Sandy Museum on Jan. 22. The Council arranged the 1 p.m. meeting as an opportunity for area residents to learn more about the coalfired generator’s impacts on the natural resources, including the Missouri River. Members of Southern Montana Electric’s environmental staff will be on hand to discuss and answer questions on air emissions, mercury deposition, solid waste, water rights and other issues. The coal-fired generator, which will produce enough power to fulfill the needs of the City of Great Falls and five rural electric cooperatives, will draw water from the Missouri River through an existing water reservation owned by the City of Great Falls. Although no water discharge is planned, the plant’s solid waste byproducts will include 225 tons of fly and bottom ash and two tons of waste from the raw water treatment plant each day. The council’s business meeting begins at 11 a.m., with discussion of the Anglers Against Weeds program presented by Robert Wiltshire from the Federation of Fly Fishers. The council is a coalition of the 15 conservation cistricts along the Missouri River in Montana that focuses on locally led, common sense conservation for the Missouri River corridor. More information about the council is available at www.missouririvercouncil.info or by calling (406) 468-0056.
