Moffat County hires law firm to set up trust for Tri‑State settlement; files $28 million request as Tri‑State seeks new generation

Moffat County commissioners approved a contract with Taft Law to create a perpetual community trust tied to the county’s Tri‑State settlement and discussed Tri‑State’s Phase 2 resource plan, which the county says will have local tax and employment impacts.

The contract for services with Taft Law was selected after a joint city–county procurement that closed April 1 and reviewed three bids. “In front of you is a contract for services with Taft Law,” said Jeff Gomstock, natural resources staff, who summarized the procurement and the contract’s purpose. The contract is for the firm to “set up a perpetual trust to implement our guiding principles,” Gomstock said, adding the agreement is a typical county services contract and that the cost will be shared with the City of Craig.

Commissioner (speaker 4) moved to approve the contract; a second was recorded and the motion was approved. The county characterized the agreement as “estimated to be less than $72,000 a year” for the project, split between the county and the city. The motion passed with the board’s verbal assent; the transcript records “All in favor? Aye,” and “Motion carries.”

Gomstock also briefed the commissioners on Tri‑State Generation and Transmission Association’s Phase 2 integrated resource plan (ERP) filing with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. He said Tri‑State asked the commission for about 1,657 megawatts of new capacity: roughly 700 megawatts of wind and solar (largely outside the Craig area), about 307 megawatts of natural gas generation sited in Craig, and more than 400 megawatts of storage, including about 200 megawatts of battery storage in the Craig area. “That’s what they filed with the public utilities commission,” Gomstock said.

Gomstock said county filings with Xcel Energy and the PUC were submitted last week and that the county’s request to Xcel seeks compensation tied to lost property tax revenue and community impacts from the closure of thermal plants. “Ultimately, we’re asking for four things as a county through Xcel Energy … and total ask for those will be around $28,000,000 and that got filed last week,” Gomstock said. He said any funds the county receives after settlements or hearings would be deposited into the trust the county is hiring Taft Law to create.

On local economic effects, Gomstock said the county has been told the new generation and storage planned in the area could come “fairly close to replacing the property tax that we are losing with Craig Station,” but he said those revenues “will not replace the jobs that we’re losing.” He also noted other local losses tied to mining closures.

The board did not set any specific distribution rules for the trust in this meeting; the contract with Taft Law is to establish the legal framework and governing board. Commissioners and city representatives will share project costs for the contracting work.

The county said the Tri‑State/Xcel matters remain subject to regulatory review and potential settlement. Gomstock closed by offering to answer commissioners’ further questions and the board adjourned; the next meeting was announced for May 13 at 8:30 a.m.