The president of the National Hydropower Association honored PPL Montana today (4/11) for its role in managing environmental and recreational resources at its hydroelectric generation facilities along the Madison-Missouri River corridor.
"Each year, we recognize a handful of hydropower companies that excel at harmonizing their projects with the environment," George Martin, president of the National Hydropower Association, said at news conference at PPL Montana’s Hauser Dam near Helena. "Healthy rivers and a viable hydropower resource are not mutually exclusive goals, and PPL Montana is proof of that. PPL Montana is to be commended for the fine example it sets for all hydropower operators across the country as responsible stewards of America’s rivers."
PPL Montana is among only 10 hydroelectric generation companies across the country to receive the "Outstanding Stewardship of America’s Rivers Award" this year.
"This award recognizes our continued efforts to generate safe, reliable power while preserving water resources and the land around our hydro facilities," said Brad Spencer, vice president and chief operating officer for PPL Montana, noting that the company also received this award in 2002 and 2004.
"These are historic and biologically rich waterways that are cherished by the people of Montana and by people across America who visit our state. Our employees have put in years of effort building partnerships and developing creative solutions to protect these rivers," he said.
PPL Montana has committed $23 million from 2000 through 2009 to improve recreation and water quality, enhance wildlife habitats, restore fisheries and protect endangered species. Additionally, using these funds, the company has worked with its partners to leverage an additional $50 million in state, federal and private conservation funds for the Madison and Missouri rivers that otherwise would not have been available.
Among a diverse array of projects, PPL Montana has worked to protect resident trout and restore other fish species in the Madison and Missouri river watersheds. Along river shorelines, project partners are conducting a comprehensive inventory of wildlife habitats and their use by migrant birds and other wildlife. The partners also are restoring riparian forest habitats.
The company also has designed and is implementing a floating bulkhead system at several hydro facilities that allows dam repairs without affecting power generation, reservoir recreation, fisheries and water quality.
"We appreciate the support and recognition from the National Hydropower Association and the partnerships we have developed with many public and private conservation organizations to protect these river resources," Spencer said.
The company works cooperatively with many government agencies including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and nonprofit organizations such as American Rivers, Trout Unlimited and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
The National Hydropower Association established its national award program to recognize members of the hydroelectric industry that protect the nation’s rivers and champion hydropower as a key part of the nation’s energy future.
Founded in 1983, the National Hydropower Association represents more than 61 percent of the nation’s hydropower facilities licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, representing about 80,000 megawatts.
PPL Montana has offices in Billings, Butte and Helena. With about 500 employees, the company operates the coal-fired Colstrip and Corette power plants and 11 hydroelectric facilities along the Missouri, Flathead, Clark Fork and Madison rivers and Rosebud Creek. PPL EnergyPlus, another PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) subsidiary, operates a trading floor in Butte that markets and sells power in the wholesale energy market.