Thanks to the efforts of the environmental community and Climate Reality Leaders, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and the State of Montana have made an agreement that could close the last two coal-fired units of a coal-burning facility in Montana known as the Colstrip Power Plant. The plant provides power to and is partially owned by PSE in Washington State.
The new agreement calls for the final two Colstrip coal units to be paid off in 2027 – nearly 20 years sooner than expected.
Climate Reality Leaders, along with other environmental activists, played a big role in this climate victory. This summer, we held a Climate Reality Leadership Corps training in Washington State where local Climate Reality Leaders involved in Carbon Free PSE, an effort led by Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign, helped organize an afternoon of action to create momentum to close the plant.
The result? More than 200 participants took direct action in support of retiring the Colstrip Power Plant by gathering petitions, speaking to elected officials, writing 80 letters-to-the-editor, and making 50 public comments on the issue. Since June, these volunteers have continued to work hard on the ground to reach this agreement.
Our Climate Reality Leaders are on the frontlines of our fight for a better future, and we thank you for all that you’ve done to support them and grow our Climate Reality Leadership Corps program.
To find out how you can make a difference in your community, sign up to learn more about becoming a Climate Reality Leader. We’ll keep you updated as we announce future trainings and ways to get involved.
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