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Coal and nuclear plants need water for cooling. That heats up fish and aquatic habitat. They compete for water that is also needed for tourism and agriculture, Montana’s second and third largest industries. In the quest for water our food producers are losing out. For example, last year the federal government reduced the flow of water from the Colorado River into California. Cities then made a rash of water purchases from California growers that reduced rice production by 3% of total US rice consumption.

Against this backdrop, President Bush wants to build 1300 new coal-fired plants in the US in addition to the 600 we now have. That will lower food production here where the need for water has already resulted in over pumping of our aquifers. Over pumping has caused wells on thousands of southwestern farms to go dry, as underground water tables have dropped 100 feet in some places. There is an alternative. We can save enough water in the 7-state Rocky Mountain West to meet the residential needs of a million people simply by producing 21 percent of our electricity from the wind and other renewables.

Five of our Montana cooperatives who are siting a new coal plant in Great Falls chose the site over locations closer to coal deposits for a number of reasons. One of them was the availability of water.

It takes 1000 tons of water to grow a ton of wheat. We can’t waste it cooling power plants in semi arid areas like Montana that depend on water to grow our crops, refresh our livestock and attract tourists to fish, float and enjoy the serenity of our scenic rivers and lakes.

NEW WORLD WINDPOWER LLC ™ © 2004 By Russell L. Doty

NEW WORLD WINDPOWER LLC ™
© 2004 By Russell L. Doty