Montana IBEW Members Endorse "The Apollo P{roject" To Make America Energy-Independent: Politicians take up the battle

http://www.laureloutlook.com/articles/2004/09/01/news/6doty.txt

Wednesday, September 01, 2004

Doty campaigns for PSC
BY LARRY TANGLEN Outlook Staff

Russ Doty (D-Billings), candidate for the District 2 Public Service Commission seat being vacated by Commissioner Jay Stoval, was in Laurel last week to endorse the 10-point renewable energy plan that is supported by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the Paper and Allied Chemical Employees (PACE) and 15 other unions. Central to the plan is development of wind power projects and the use of hydrogen as a vehicle fuel.

Doty, the Democratic PSC District 2 candidate, will face Brad Molnar (R-Laurel) in the November general election. Stoval did not seek re-election.

The 10-point plan was developed by the Apollo Alliance. It has the goal of making America independent of OPEC within 10 years, the same amount of time it took to reach the moon in the 1960's.

"Wind projects create more good jobs than either new coal or new natural gas projects -- 2.5 times more jobs in the construction phase and 1.5 times more jobs in the maintenance phase," said Doty. Implementation of that national plan would cost $300 billion and create 3.3 million new jobs, according to Doty.

The 10-point plan includes efforts to promote advanced technology and hybrid cars, invest in more efficient factories, encourage high performance building, increase use of energy efficient appliances, modernize electrical infrastructure, expand renewable energy development, improve transportation options, reinvest in smart urban growth, plan for a hydrogen future and strengthen regulatory protections.

"Balance is the key term in considering methods of energy generation," said Doty. "We need to explore all methods, so we aren't dependent on just one source," he reasoned.

"I'm qualified to wear the two 'hats' a commissioner has to wear -- a judicial hat and a policy hat," said Doty. He would be the only attorney on the commission if he is elected.

Doty is a retired U.S. Postal Service human resources specialist. He has served as an administrative law judge, presiding in electric, gas, phone, trucking and railroad rate cases and as counsel to the Montana PSC as an assistant attorney general.

The candidate previously served in the Montana legislature as a representative from Great Falls. He has an M.A. degree in political science from the University of Montana and has taught middle school and adult education classes. He is a past president of the Montana Methodist Youth Fellowship.

Doty supports clean-coal technology and diversification of the state's fuel supply with independent-owner, wind-generated electricity. "Because there is no fuel or pollution control cost in the wind, it now is cheaper than new coal-generated power," according to Doty.

PSC District 2 includes Yellowstone, Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Fallon, Powder River, Prairie, Rosebud and Treasure Counties.