Montana and Saskatchewan: Development Partners
Brief description:
On May 7, 2009, officials in Montana and Saskatchewan signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The $230 million project would retrofit an existing Canadian coal-fired power plant, owned by SaskPower, for CO2 capture, piping the GHG into northern Montana where it would be injected into deep geological formations for storage. Saskatchewan is investing $42 million and seeking an additional $85 million from the Canadian government; Montana is pursuing a $100- million grant in addition to its contributions of a CO2 pipeline and underground storage facilities. March 2008: Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that the Government of Canada will partner with Saskatchewan in the development a large commercial-scale carbon capture and storage demonstration projects. “By combining state-of-the-art carbon capture technology with enhanced oil recovery and carbon sequestration, the proposed Boundary Dam project would reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions by a million tonnes a year while generating up to 100 megawatts of clean power,” said the Prime Minister. “Proving this technology on a commercial scale is key to reducing Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions.” Funding for the $240 million contribution from the Government of Canada was included in Budget 2008. The funds will be delivered in trust to the Province of Saskatchewan, once legislation has been passed http://www.pm.gc.ca/ENG/media.asp?category=1&id=2036 On May 6, 2009, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer signed a bill that creates the regulatory guidelines for storing CO2 underground in Montana. The bill resolves the question of how long a company would be required to monitor a site and remain liable after finishing its CO2 injection in Montana. Under Senate Bill 498, a storage company could transfer a site to the state if it is problem free after 30 years, with the Montana Land Board having final authority to decide if the state should assume liability. If approved, the state would then assume site monitoring and liability obligations. Also, the bill gives ownership of underground pore space to surface landowners. The Montana Land Board is responsible for overseeing the management of 5.2 million acres of school trust land in Montana
