Democratic House candidate Denise Juneau says she supports the Crow Tribe’s efforts to develop its coal resources. Republican incumbent Ryan Zinke responded that’s not true.
The two verbally sparred on this and other topics at their second debate at MSU Billings.
State School Superintendent Denise Juneau was asked why as a member of the state land board she voted against the Otter Creek Coal leases and whether that was an indication of her position on natural resource development.
The Democrat says she’s voted for mining and timber projects.
“There’s nothing in this race that says I’m anti-coal,” Juneau says. “And so I am a supporter of coal. I’m a supporter of natural resource development. I have a record on that and I’m proud of that record.”
As for Otter Creek specifically, Juneau says area landowners and the Northern Cheyenne tribe were against the coal mining and there’s a need to respect tribal sovereignty.
“It’s a little disingenuous when you take money from the Lummi Tribe,” counters Zinke, a first term Congressman.
The Otter Creek Coal tracts and the accompanying proposed coal export facility in Washington state pitted the Crow and Lummi tribes against each other.
The federal government sided with the Lummi tribe in denying a permit for what would have been the largest coal export facility on the West Coast. The Lummi argued the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal port proposal declaring it would damage its traditional fishing grounds and the area included sacred sites.
The Lummi have contributed campaign money to Juneau, a fact which Zinke also pounced on saying it’s “blood money. Which prevented the Gateway Terminal from happening, which would allow the Crow tribe to export their coal.”
Zinke says the other Democrats on the state land board voted to go forward with Otter Creek, while Juneau was the only one to vote “no.”
The candidates verbally sparred over coal, veteran’s benefits, and national security during their second debate at MSU Billings.
Libertarian Mike Fellows was invited, but was prevented from attending because he was in the hospital.
The House candidates are scheduled to debate October 5, 2016 at Heritage Hall on the Great Falls College MSU campus.
The candidates held their first debate August 29, 2016 at Frazer School on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.
