The state legislature sets the laws that the utilities have to follow.  But NWE has extraordinary access to state lawmakers, with a team of lobbyists advocating to preserve their business practices.  For example, after NWE was fined for breaking state law in 2015, the legislature changed the law in 2021 so they wouldn’t have to pay.  

The oil and gas lobby spends millions to pressure legislators in Montana and across the country to keep burning coal and methane for electricity generation.  Our legislators repeatedly act to protect and expand NWE’s use of fossil fuels and ignore the less expensive, clean technologies available today.