Montana Renewable Energy Initiative, I-180 (2016)

Montana Renewable Energy Initiative, I-180

Election date
November 8, 2016
Topic
Energy
Status
Not on the ballot
Type
State statute| Origin
Citizens

* * *

## Contents

* 1 Text of measure
* 1.1 Ballot text
* 1.2 Full text
* 2 Support
* 2.1 Supporters
* 2.2 Arguments in favor
* 3 Path to the ballot
* 4 State profile
* 4.1 Presidential voting pattern
* 4.1.1 Pivot Counties (2016)
* 4.1.2 Pivot Counties (2020)
* 5 See also
* 6 Footnotes

Not on Ballot

This measure was not put
on an election ballot

The Renewable Energy Initiative, I-180 was an initiated state statute proposed for the Montana ballot on November 8, 2016.

The measure would have required investor-owned utilities to incrementally supply more of their electricity from renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal and hydroelectric. The measure would have also established a program for displaced fossil fuel workers and a pension program for fossil fuel workers.[1]

## Text of measure[edit]

### Ballot text[edit]

The proposed text of the ballot was as follows:[1]

“  | I-180 incrementally requires investor-owned utilities in Montana to supply more electricity from renewable energy sources like wind, solar, geothermal, and new hydroelectric. By 2030, 50% must come from renewable energy sources; by 2050, 80%. Utilities may only use hydroelectric sources existing before 2005 to meet renewable energy mandates when their total renewable energy portfolio, including hydroelectric sources, is at least 80%. I-180 prohibits rate increases beyond 2% annually for costs associated with the mandates. I-180 requires each cooperative utility to hold elections to determine whether it should adopt the mandates. Anticipating closure of coal mines, electrical generating plants, and railroad facilities due to required reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, I-180 levies taxes on each kilowatt of electricity produced to fund worker retraining programs and pension safety nets, and to offset coal severance tax revenue reductions.

I-180 establishes two new taxes on each kilowatt of electricity produced in Montana, increasing 2017-2021 general fund revenues a total of $329,025 to supplant declining coal severance tax revenues, and raising $20.4 million by 2021 to fund worker retraining. The volume of displaced workers who will seek assistance is unknown.

[ ] YES on Initiative I-180
[ ] NO on Initiative I-180[2]

| ”

|
|

### Full text[edit]

The full text of the measure can be found here.

## Support[edit]

### Supporters[edit]

* MTCARES[3]

### Arguments in favor[edit]

Russell Doty, head organizer of the initiative's campaign, said,[3]

“  | It’s not unrealistic. It’s absolutely necessary ... Climate scientists have been telling us for years we need to cut down on CO2 — 97 percent of them.[2] | ”

|
|

## Path to the ballot[edit]

See also: Laws governing the initiative process in Montana

John Soderberg sponsored the petition to the secretary of state. It was received on November 16, 2015, and approved for circulation on January 20, 2016. Supporters needed to collect 24,175 valid signatures, which is 5 percent of the total number of votes cast in the last gubernatorial general election.[4] This measure did not meet signature requirements and did not qualify for the 2016 ballot.

## State profile[edit]

Demographic data for Montana

| Montana| U.S.
Total population:| 1,032,073| 316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):| 145,546| 3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:| 89.2%| 73.6%
Black/African American:| 0.5%| 12.6%
Asian:| 0.7%| 5.1%
Native American:| 6.5%| 0.8%
Pacific Islander:| 0.1%| 0.2%
Two or more:| 2.5%| 3%
Hispanic/Latino:| 3.3%| 17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:| 92.8%| 86.7%
College graduation rate:| 29.5%| 29.8%
Income
Median household income:| $47,169| $53,889
Persons below poverty level:| 17%| 11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Montana.

* * *

**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

### Presidential voting pattern[edit]

See also: Presidential voting trends in Montana

Montana voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

#### Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, three are located in Montana, accounting for 1.46 percent of the total pivot counties.[5]

#### Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Montana had two Retained Pivot Counties and one Boomerang Pivot County, accounting for 1.10 and 4.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.

More Montana coverage on Ballotpedia

* Elections in Montana
* United States congressional delegations from Montana
* Public policy in Montana
* Endorsers in Montana
* Montana fact checks
* More...

## See also[edit]

| Suggest a link

|

* Montana 2016 ballot measures
* 2016 ballot measures
* Montana Legislature
* List of Montana ballot measures

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Montana Secretary of State, "BALLOT LANGUAGE FOR INITIATIVE NO. 180 (I-180)," accessed January 21, 2016
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Great Falls Tribune, "Montana ballot initiative calls for more renewable energy," February 10, 2016
4. ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "Proposed 2016 Ballot Issues," accessed December 16, 2015
5. ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.

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