Legalectric

Of the daily horrors produced by this administration, here is the plan and implementation for logging our forests, bearing in mind all the federal layoffs, layoffs that include USDA forestry that would be in charge of implementing this plan (though that could be a benefit?!?).

Trying to keep track of all of this is impossible, and what any of us are individually able to track and consider, it’s beyond nauseating.

National Forests are literally a BIG part of Minnesota:

Chippewa National Forest – Home – US Forest Service

Superior National Forest – Home – US Forest Service

Looking up maps on the USGS site, this is cringingly prominent on USGS home page — was it always?

It’s the day after an inspiring HANDS OFF! over the U.S. and reaching across the Atlantic. Often, pretty much at every meeting I’ve been to lately, someone asks, “What can I do?” A literal answer to that question can be found at www.choosedemocracy.us/what-can-i-do with so many options at three distinct levels of ease/effort.

Today, April 6, I’d hosted a Non-Violent Direct Action Training here in Red Wing. Jessica Garroway came down to walk us through what it’s all about, give us some guidance, food for thought.

Here’s Jessica Garraway’s presentation, it gives a general idea, but the in-person discussion really brought it home The preview is weird, so here’s the link – I don’t want to post an editable version, so I’m stuck with this and the videos don’t work:

Videos don’t work in the link so here they are separately:

• Direct Action Shuts Down Tar Sands Mine
• Meet the Seniors of the Rocking Chair Rebellion
• Know Your Rights

First up is a great exercise to determine what sorts of actions are right for you — now’s the time for some introspection. The preparation for any action should take a lot more time than it takes for whatever actions you’re contemplating:

What’s a “Direct Action” — well, so many options, and here are a few:

Thinking globally, acting locally? We’ve grown our weekly demonstration from 7 six weeks ago to 181 last Friday, and it’s been inspirational:

And a few thoughts on “acting locally” in Red Wing:

That’s the noise “modeling” for Freeborn Wind. Noise modeling is a big problem, and NOISE from wind turbines is an even bigger problem. I know this well — when working for two Bent Tree families, we got the first, and ONLY so far, landowner buy-outs due to violation of the Minnesota noise standard.

A bill has been introduced in the Minnesota House, HF 1859, to address the noise problem by requiring one mile setbacks:

1) Contact Rep. John Burkel with a THANK YOU!!

2) CALL ALL THE HOUSE ENERGY and FINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS (on a Committee, they represent ALL of us, not just their constituents):

ENERGY AND FINANCE POLICY COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Get to work, folks!!

Our counter yesterday said 145 people protesting on Friday. We’re here every Friday, 4-5p.m., and every Friday there are more! Starting with 6 or 7, then 15, then 30, then 60, then 98, and now 145!

Today in the Red Wing Republican Eagle:

Here’s how Xcel describes this project sprawling across southern Minnesota:

Today, the Initial Comments were due on the “need” side of this transmission line application. And here they are!! Mine first — I’m representing the Prehn Family and No CapX 2020, and then in order of appearance:

A little light reading for the weekend…