From Alison Milsaps and Dave Ulery, Block Plains and Eastern Clean Line:

To recap the events of recent weeks: Plains & Eastern, Clean Line’s regulatory crown jewel and the only of its projects to be fully (if questionably) permitted, is DEAD in Arkansas. Hallelujah. Don’t take our word for it, though. Let’s look at a little evidence:

Hubris: Clean Line’s Michael Skelly and the End of the Plains and Eastern Project…

You know, I love it when this happens.

• First, “Clean Line” sells the Oklahoma part of the Plains & Eastern Clean Line transmission project to NextEra:

Under the agreement, Clean Line Energy retains project assets east of Oklahoma, and NextEra Energy Resources owns only the project assets in Oklahoma.

Clean Line Energy added that the transaction will continue the project’s forward momentum and install a new sponsor to a transmission solution to the burgeoning wind sector in Oklahoma and the Southwest Power Pool.

A Clean Line Energy spokesperson on Dec. 22 told TransmissionHub of the deal, “We cannot disclose financial information.”

• TVA backs out of Memorandum of Understanding:

Clean Line Energy Partners, a Houston-based developer of five major transmission lines for wind-generated electricity, has dropped its interconnection agreement with TVA for one of its most promising projects after the federal utility declined to buy what Clean Line officials said would be cheaper and cleaner power for TVA…

… But after years of study, TVA said the Clean Line project didn’t make economic sense for the nation’s biggest government-owned utility, since TVA already has enough power-generating capacity and is on path to get more than half of its power from carbon-free sources. TVA President Bill Johnson said the intermittent nature of wind power would require TVA to build other backup power generators, including natural gas plants, that would offset the promised savings from the wind-generated power sources alone.

“We’re looking at a power demand in the future that is flat, or declining slightly, so we don’t anticipate needing major additions to power generation for a decade or more,” Johnson said.

• Clean Line withdraws the project from the MISO interconnection queue;

“We all are wondering at this point” what is going on, said Julie Morton, of Van Buren. “We are disconnected on the western end now. The TVA was going to take 3,500 of the 4,000 megawatts it was going to generate, but now it is disconnected on that end.

“We are stuck in the middle, unplugged at both ends, and the only way out for us is if Clean Line completely implodes, which I think is happening, and the Department of Energy withdraws from the project.”

and now…

• Arkansas delegation says “STOP THIS LINE!“

Using powers contained in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the department moved the project forward over the objections of Arkansas leaders.

Among other things, the law would enable the use of eminent domain to obtain property from unwilling sellers.

But the participation agreement allows the department to back out of the deal if “the Commencement Date has not occurred by December 31, 2018.”

In the letter, delegation members urged Perry to “pause the Project to either study or terminate its participation before the deadline.”

Since it was unveiled, the power line project has generated controversy.

Arkansas lawmakers ask DOE to block Clean Line transmission project

Don’t know what more we could possibly need to show that this project is O. V. E. R.  I do wonder if the appellate case was dismissed so there would be no precedent, and then, immediately after it was dismissed, all this happens.  Then, if they or someone else wants to try a Section 1222 project, the door remains open????

Yes, this administration is planning to end “Temporary Protected Status” for many legally admitted/present refugees. Here’s the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Temporary Protected Status page.  They’ve been here legally for how long, and now, the rug will be pulled out from under them.

Countries covered include:

And here’s the real news of Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen doing tRump’s bidding — note it’s coming from Homeland Security, this one regarding El Salvador:

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

Nielsen Carefully Considered Conditions on the Ground

en Español

WASHINGTON— Today, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced her determination that termination of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for El Salvador was required pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act. To allow for an orderly transition, she has determined to delay the termination for 18 months. The designation will terminate on Sept. 9, 2019.

The decision to terminate TPS for El Salvador was made after a review of the disaster-related conditions upon which the country’s original designation was based and an assessment of whether those originating conditions continue to exist as required by statute. Based on careful consideration of available information, including recommendations received as part of an inter-agency consultation process, the Secretary determined that the original conditions caused by the 2001 earthquakes no longer exist. Thus, under the applicable statute, the current TPS designation must be terminated.

The Department of Homeland Security has conducted extensive outreach to Salvadoran communities throughout the country. This includes, but is not limited to, community forums on TPS, panel discussions with Salvadoran community organizers, stakeholder teleconferences, regular meetings with TPS beneficiaries, news releases to the Salvadoran community, meetings with Salvadoran government officials, meetings at local churches, and listening sessions. The Secretary met recently with the El Salvadorian Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the United States, and spoke with President Sánchez Cerén.

Following the 2001 earthquake, El Salvador received a significant amount of international aid to assist in its recovery efforts, including millions of dollars dedicated to emergency and long-term assistance. Many reconstruction projects have now been completed. Schools and hospitals damaged by the earthquakes have been reconstructed and repaired, homes have been rebuilt, and money has been provided for water and sanitation and to repair earthquake damaged roads and other infrastructure. The substantial disruption of living conditions caused by the earthquake no longer exist.

Additionally, in recent years, the U.S. government has been repatriating individuals back to El Salvador – more than 39,000 in the last two years – demonstrating that the temporary inability of El Salvador to adequately return their nationals after the earthquake has been addressed.

To allow for an orderly transition, the effective date of the termination of TPS for El Salvador will be delayed 18 months to provide time for individuals with TPS to arrange for their departure or to seek an alternative lawful immigration status in the United States, if eligible. Salvadorans in the United States who benefited from TPS may still receive other protections under our immigration system for which they are eligible.

The 18 months will also provide time for El Salvador to prepare for the return and reintegration of its citizens. During this timeframe, DHS will work with the Department of State and the Government of El Salvador to help educate relevant stakeholders and facilitate an orderly transition. In addition to materials posted online, DHS components will participate in outreach activities such as teleconferences, town halls and roundtables to ensure that affected populations have a full and accurate understanding of their rights and obligations.

Only Congress can legislate a permanent solution addressing the lack of an enduring lawful immigration status of those currently protected by TPS who have lived and worked in the United States for many years. The 18-month delayed termination will allow Congress time to craft a potential legislative solution.

Salvadorans with TPS will be required to re-register for TPS and apply for Employment Authorization Documents in order to legally work in the United States until the termination of El Salvador’s TPS designation becomes effective Sept. 9, 2019. Further details about this termination for TPS, including the re-registration period, will appear in a Federal Register notice. Salvadoran TPS beneficiaries should not submit re-registration applications until the re-registration period is announced through the Federal Register notice.

# # #

Each has its own notice, but some are set to expire and no notice — here’s what’s on the site:

• Acting Secretary Elaine Duke Announcement On Temporary Protected Status For Haiti.
• Acting Secretary Elaine Duke Announcement on Temporary Protected Status for Nicaragua and Honduras.
• Termination of the Designation of Nicaragua for Temporary Protected Status.
• Temporary Protected Status for Sudan to Terminate in November 2018 (an Arabic translation is also available (PDF, 191 KB).

Yes, he said this — REAL NEWS:

“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?”

And his family came from where, when conditions were what???  Granted it looks like his grandfather tried to go back to Germany and was deported, but…

Harpers Magazine: The Emigrants — Friedrich Trump

SNOPES: Did Trump’s Grandfather Beg the Government of Bavaria Not To Deport Him?

Unless you where already here when us white folks landed, unless you were brought here to live in a penal colony, unless you were brought here in chains in the belly of a slave ship, odds are you chose to come here because it looked a lot better to take the risk and than stay where you were.

In the STrib:

Trump: Why allow immigrants from ‘shithole countries’?

Trump’s ‘shithole’ comment about Haiti lends credence to report he said Haitians ‘all have AIDS’

In the Chicago Tribune:

Trump dubs Haiti, El Salvador, African nations ‘shithole countries,’ sources say

President Donald Trump on Thursday questioned why an immigration deal should help immigrants from “shithole countries” in Africa, according to two people briefed on the meeting.

The slur came in an Oval Office meeting with lawmakers about a proposed bipartisan deal on immigration.

Trump made the remark after Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told Trump that under the proposal, a lottery for visas would be ended. Durbin said that in exchange, people from African countries that have benefited from that lottery would be given other access to visas.

The sources said Trump questioned why the U.S. would want to admit more people from “shithole countries.” They say Trump said the U.S. should allow more immigrants from places such as Norway.

The two people spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss the Oval Office meeting.

Trump included Haiti and El Salvador in his disparaging remarks, according to the Washington Post.

“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” Trump said, according to the newspaper.

Also in the meeting was Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), the Post reported.

The White House did not deny that Trump used profanity in the meeting.

Spokesman Raj Shah said that while “certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries,” Trump “will always fight for the American people.”

He said Trump wants to welcome immigrants who “contribute to our society, grow our economy and assimilate into our great nation,” and will always reject “temporary, weak and dangerous stopgap measures” that he said “threaten the lives of hardworking Americans” and undercut other immigrants.

In Illinois, one leading Democrat said the remarks show the president is a racist.

State Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, who born in Chicago to Haitian immigrants, said Trump’s comments show his “ignorance of the contributions Haitians have made to this country, as well as other immigrant nations.”

“Clearly he’s a racist. He has ignorance with regard to the history of his country and the contributions Haitians have made to this country,” Raoul said, adding Chicago was first settled by Jean-Baptist-Point Du Sable, a Haitian.

Raoul, who is running for Illinois attorney general, said an apology from the president over his comments won’t be enough.

“There’s not enough apologies that Donald Trump can do. I think this guy is unfit to be president of the United States,” Raoul said. “There’s nothing he can say that can even be received as sincere.”

Raoul said his sister Ninaj runs an organization in Brooklyn called Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees, where she works with immigrants, both documented and undocumented.

Good try, DOE Secretary Perry, but you’re outta here!  Yes, it’s true, a tRump stacked FERC said “NO!” to a proposed rule to subsidize coal and nuclear plants, generation with 90+ days of fuel on hand, outmoded generation plants that are oh-so-suffering while they try to compete in the wholesale “free market” and sinking south fast because costs of production are high and market prices are higher.  I’m shocked, utterly shocked, and very pleasantly surprised!

What did Perry ask for?  Here’s the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking:

Secretary Rick Perry’s Letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Bottom line?  Gotta snort, “Now that a quorum has been restored at the Commission, I am confident…” (click for larger version):

SOL!!! 

That’s SNORT out loud… how’s that workin’ for ya, Secretary Perry?

What he thought was a slam dunk was a 5-0 rejection of preferential “out of market” treatment for certain generators.  Nope, ain’t gonna happen.

Here’s the FERC Order, straight from the horse’s mouth.  I’m most appreciative of the many articles and posts that include the primary document.  It’s crucial to be able to read the FERC Order.  This is REAL NEWS!

FERC-20180108-3061(32617655)_No2CoalNukeSubsidy

There are a lot of people railing and wailing about subsidies these days, but it’s very lopsided, and I’m not hearing the complaints about all the subsidies of coal and nuclear.  If you want to complain about subsidies, slash them across the board.  “Free market” right, the essence of capitalism, right?

PolyMet’s Draft Site Permit has been released by the Dept. of Natural Resources.  Here’s the link:

DNR’s Draft Site Permit (scroll down)

And in there are some links — official word from Barb Naramore, DNR, is that the Permit to Mine Application & Appendices and DNR’s Draft Special Conditions constitute the “Draft Site Permit” for the PolyMet mine, based on this statement:

Following review of PolyMet’s permit to mine application, DNR has prepared draft special conditions for the application. Together, the application and the draft special conditions are considered the draft permit to mine for the NorthMet project.

Guess that’s what they’re presenting as the “Draft Site Permit” for review and comment, but it looks pretty bizarre to me!

Here is that application and special conditions:

• Permit to Mine Application and Appendices (755 MB)
  (12/13/2017)
• Appendix 16 provided separately – Final Environmental Impact Statement and Related Environmental Reports(1.3 GB)
  (12/13/2017)
• Appendix 18.1 Wetland Replacement Plan Attachment D-1 (1 MB)
  (01/05/2018)
• DNR’s Draft Special Conditions (2 MB) 

Why did I ask about this?  You’ll note above, there is the DNR’s Draft Special Conditions, but tell me, do you see a Draft Site Permit anywhere?  I’d spent a lot of time looking, and cannot find anything that resembles a “Draft Site Permit.”  So I asked around.  Oh, but wait, there’s no project contact info on any of the DNR’s pages or press release.  WHAT? No problem, I have contact info for the chief grand poohbahs at the DNR, and that worked.

To Comment:

DNR’s PolyMet’s Permitting COMMENT Page (note you are asked to accept set up to Comment online

In the news:

4 things to know about the PolyMet mine — MPR

With Minnesota mining permit, PolyMet proposal reaches a turning point – STrib

Comments will be accepted through March 6, 2018.  Two public meetings (not hearings?) will be held.  Petitions for a Contested Case may NOT be filed using the online commenting form, so they say at the link above!