The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes serious money for energy efficiency. The web site of Sen. Max Baucus offers a guide that details the energy elements of the economic stimulus package, along with its other components.

Energize Montana is an energy website from the Department of Environmental Quality that provides information for citizens, schools, businesses, agriculture, and government on energy efficiency, renewable energy and production of energy in Montana.

DEQ also offers energy conservation tax credits for businesses investing in energy efficiency in buildings. A business may claim 5 percent of its investment as a tax credit on state income tax owed, up to a maximum of $300 for commercial, industrial or agricultural buildings.

The Montana Department of Commerce’s Energy Promotion and Development Division was created in 2007 to help implement Gov. Schweitzer’s commitment to “clean and green” energy development in Montana. This website has a section on “Taxes and Incentives.”

Montana Green Power, a project of NorthWestern Energy and the Fanwood Foundation, has a useful section on its site devoted to energy efficiency, including lighting and heating equipment, tactics for improving air-tightness in building envelopes, and obtaining tax credits and utility rebates.

The Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association provides a map with links to every electric cooperative in the state. On individual cooperative web sites, you can find information about their energy efficiency programs.

NorthWestern Energy’s energy efficiency programs can be found on its site.

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