MSTI INFORMATION

Northwestern Energy is proposing a 500 kV transmission line, numerous collector lines, and a 50+ acre substation jointly called the Mountain States Transmission Intertie (MSTI) that will traverse 400 miles of land in Montana and Idaho.

The proposed substation for MSTI will be built in Townsend, Montana, and several collector power lines will converge into the substation from other parts of Montana. The presently existing Bonneville Power Administration's 500 kV line that runs from Colstrip, Montana, to the Pacific Northwest will also tie into the substation and then continue westward. Another 500 kV transmission line will start at the substation and stretch from Townsend across 400 miles of Montana and Idaho to end near Midpoint, Idaho. This transmission line will consist of 140-foot (on average – the towers could range from 125 to 185 feet tall) towers that will be placed up to 6 towers per line mile. The line will cross private and public lands that include scenic Montana valleys and world-class rivers, including the Jefferson, Big Hole, Beaverhead, and Red Rock. MSTI will transport energy – most likely primarily coal-fired energy because it will be tied to Colstrip – produced in Montana but sold only to out-of-state customers. Not only will MSTI result in large-scale environmental degradation, but Montanans will most likely pay for MSTI with societal taxes and increased energy bills.

Citizen Concerns:

• Lack of notification to landowners and other residents about the project and its proposed routes.
• Health effects from the Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs).
• Loss of property use from physical structures, maintenance roads, right-of-ways.
• Devaluation of property values.
• Violation of property rights, especially related to use of Eminent Domain for this project.
• Visual impacts.
• All MT generated electrical power will be shipped out of state to NV and CA.
• Noxious weeds.
• Fighting fires under these lines is dangerous and life threatening, fire prevention is hazardous.
• Emergency communication systems do not work around these lines.
• Possibility of more high voltage transmission lines through our area.
• Why is Northwestern Energy’s industry more important than local industry? (ie.,  ranching)
• Why do NWE’s rights outweigh citizen’s rights?  And private property rights?
• Who does the Montana Major Facility Siting Act protect – Montanans or out-of- state interests?
• NWE takes an easement through private property (eminent domain) and we still pay the property taxes.
• The siting submitted in NorthWestern Energy (NWE) application does not include three distinctly different alternative routes.
• Alternative routes are sited on hundreds of acres of private property: residential, subdivisions, grazing land, hay ground.