News

U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) visited with welding students and instructors on Wednesday at Great Falls College-MSU during his state-wide “Made in Montana” energy tour.  The 10 days on the road focus on the importance of producing local energy while promoting Montana’s future jobs in related fields including coal, oil, and natural gas.  Daines says Montana’s economic goal is to employ and maintain in-state workers with two-year degrees and certificates like the welding program offered at Great Falls College-MSU.  Daines says trade programs such as welding can offer students smaller amounts of personal debt after graduating while providing the training and knowledge necessary to find

With the future of the Colstrip Power Plants now in question, U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) is taking his energy fight on the road on a statewide tour to promote what he calls “Made in Montana Energy.” The Republican kicked off his 10 city tour Monday in Laurel at the CHS Refinery on Monday, and on Wednesday, he visited KRTV. Daines said his goal is to underscore the importance of Montana’s energy and how losing Colstrip will impact the state’s economic future.  “It would be devastating to our state. It’s a loss of 7,000 jobs. It’s a loss of $500 million

The first ever Congressional office opened in Sidney March 22. The office of Senator Steve Daines will be staffed by Sidney native Nate Williams. Graduating from Sidney High School in 2004, Williams enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving for six years. After three overseas deployments he enrolled at the University of Montana, graduating with degrees in economics, political science, and a minor in Arabic.  The new office will allow Daines to better serve eastern Montana by operating in one of the region’s towns. Services will include internships for students, help with federal agencies such as the Social Security Office

A Montana oil refinery says it will lose a key power supplier if Colstrip is shuttered. CHS Inc., which refines oil in Laurel, gets more than half its power from Colstrip Power Plant, which faces an uncertain future as power companies in the Pacific Northwest prepare to dump coal-generated electricity and tighten pollution controls under the Clean Power Plan to address climate change. It was the Clean Power Plan that Patrick Kimmet, Laurel Refinery vice president cited Monday while meeting with U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont. “We are reviewing the potential effects of the Clean Power Plan,” Kimmet said. “But

  United States Sen. Steve Daines stopped in Miles City Monday evening to tour Miles Community College’s Heavy Equipment Operations program. Daines has been traveling around the state to promote made-in-Montana energy and the good-paying jobs it supports. The tour will include the Montana Energy Summit 2016 on March 29-31 in Billings. He expects around 500 people at the conference to talk about the future of energy in Montana.  Daines met with MCC President Stacy Klippenstein, among others, in James Lucas Hall. The group proceeded to the Heavy Equipment Operations building to meet with instructor Jerry Forman.  “It’s important to

The Montana Energy 2016 conference will take place March 29 – 31 in Billings. For the full agenda, including speakers, panelists and continuing education sessions is now available here. Montana Energy 2016 will serve as the largest venue to discuss Montana’s energy potential. Led by Senator Steve Daines, the comprehensive conference will continue the discussion around state and national energy opportunities and provide an all-encompassing look at Montana’s energy potential. More information about the conference, click here.

Senator Steve Daines is spending the next two weeks highlighting the energy needs of Montana businesses, and advocating for policies that protect the state’s fossil fuel industries, including coal interests that are facing significant challenges. Daines kicked off what he’s calling his Montana Energy tour today with a stop at the CHS refinery in Laurel. CHS Refinery Manager Pat Kimmet puts into perspective how important electricity is to the Laurel facility. “$18 million for power and $15 million for wages and benefits.” “And the fact that their power bill here in Laurel, Montana for this operation is greater than their

With the future of the Colstrip Power Plants now in question, Montana’s U.S. Sen. Steve Daines is taking his energy fight on the road on a statewide tour to promote what he calls “Made-in-Montana Energy.” The Republican Senator kicked off his 10 city tour Monday in Laurel at the CHS Refinery. “This refinery relies on Colstrip for its electricity. Sixty percent of the electricity of this refinery comes from Colstrip, so I think it also highlights the importance of Colstrip and the coal industry here in the state,” said Daines. Daines said his goal is to underscore the importance of Montana’s energy and how losing Colstrip will