Gov. Gianforte vetoes Montana community solar legislation

On June 13, Gov. Greg Gianforte vetoed bipartisan legislation that would have created a community solar program in Montana. Solar advocates including the Coalition for Community Solar Access had sent a letter to the Montana Public Services Commission committing to work hand-in-hand with regulators and lawmakers on the specifics of the program if passed.

“We are confounded by Governor Gianforte’s decision to veto SB 188, a bipartisan, pro-business bill that passed with overwhelming support from more than 100 lawmakers across party lines and that was supported by thousands of Montana families, businesses, and a broad coalition of stakeholder groups. The only stakeholders who opposed the bill were the monopoly utilities, which makes the decision even more worrisome,” said the Montana Renewable Energy Association and the Coalition for Community Solar Access in a joint statement.

“SB 188 represented a meaningful step toward a more affordable, resilient, and diversified energy future for Montana. It would have expanded energy options for families, small businesses and farmers across the state — especially in rural communities — and encourage private investment in homegrown power. The bill was fully aligned with the Governor’s own stated goals: advancing an all-of-the-above energy strategy, supporting American-made energy, making Montana attractive for private capital investment, and lowering costs for Montanans. While we respect the Governor’s role in the legislative process, we believe this was a missed opportunity to put those principles into practice and allow the PSC to carry out the responsibilities they were elected to perform,” the groups continued.