Restoration Economy

The economic benefits of restoration have been in the news quite a bit in the recent weeks.  The Missoulian has been running a series on the economic benefits of the removal of the Milltown Dam:

While mining's legacy has left Montana with more than its share of environmental messes, the state's residents have found ways to live with them, to make handsome profits cleaning them up, and even to promote them as tourist attractions. 

The same sentence holds true for the legacy of forestry in the state.  It has left a whole slew of environmental messes that have the potential to make significant contributions to the economy.  The State of Montana knows this, and is taking action to address all environmental restoration issues: 

The 2007 Montana Legislature approved $34 million for restoration projects, and allocated $200,000 to create an Office of Restoration Coordination at the state level. 

This position is to work on all sorts of restoration, not just those of dam removals and mine tailings.  And even if the current media attention is focused on the restoration of mines and their aftermaths, the fact that the media is focusing on restoration is important, as moving forward with a restoration economy will require the widespread support of the people.