Boulder, Colstrip and reasons to be excited

A press release issued December 14 and published in this issue caught our eye. As we read it, we wondered, “And why was it so hard for Boulder to get that kind of help?”

At first, this editorial may sound a bit like sour grapes, like we are jealous of Colstrip and the extensive help it is receiving as it plans for a cutback in the generating facility there. But we ask readers to go all the way to the end before leaving with that impression.

The press release from the offices of the Governor and the Attorney General addresses $10 million in impact funds from the Washington state firm closing down two units at Colstrip, $4.6 million in workforce planning and worker training funds set aside for the community, and $395 million committed to clean-up of the facility.