Pipeline safety, and lack thereof, is an issue too.  An explosion in far northwest Minnesota.  Bear in mind that people who were within TWO miles were evacuated.  TWO MILES.  Here’s a photo from the Marshall County Sheriff, and an AP article found in the STrib:

The PUC’s Order granting withdrawal of Xcel’s Hollydale Transmission Project application, WITH CONDITIONS, just came in:

14-0046_Order_WithdrawalConditions

Here’s the interesting part:

The Commission requires parties seeking to withdraw filings without prejudice to demonstrate that withdrawal would not contravene the public interest, would not prejudice any party, and would not raise issues requiring Commission action.5

5 See, e.g., In the Matter of CenterPoint Energy’s Petition for Approval of a Miscellaneous Tariff Change, Docket No. G-008/M-13-333, Order Permitting Withdrawal of Filing (Nov. 13, 2013) (articulating standard).

Oh really?  That’s good to know, but it’s a little different than briefing papers and initial resistance to conditions would indicate.  Here’s that Order, and you can see how the “standard” was articulated:

Docket No. G-008/M-13-333 Order_201310-92266-01

The articulation of the standard?

The Commission finds that the proposed withdrawal does not contravene the public interest, does not prejudice any party, and does not raise issues requiring Commission action. The Commission will therefore permit withdrawal.

That’s it — no discussion in the order, just this statement!

A novel about fracking…

Fractures, by Lamar Herrin

It’s a beautiful day today, just had a meeting all afternoon in the park in Zumbrota, and it’s a perfect day to sit on the deck in the SUN (what a concept!) and read!

For those of us “in the middle” dealing with frac sand mining and the Bakken BOOM trains, this book is a must read, dealing with the big picture and the more mundane, how one family copes and doesn’t cope when fracking comes to their community and their land.  This book is a welcome sidebar to our day to day activism.

It’s at the Red Wing library, in the SELCO system, and you can find it at abebooks.com.

Again today, the 100 mile garage sale, up and down both sides of Lake Pepin! The sun peeped out a few minutes ago, so maybe it’ll be coming back.

The Humane Society of Goodhue County is having a Fundraiser/Garage sale with items for sale, animals to pet, and treats! 725 Wilkinson St , Red Wing, MN

100 Miles of Garage Sales

Little Sadie, HSGC alum, says “See you along the Mississippi!” — at 100 Mile Garage Sale/Fundraiser.

Photo provided by the City of Lynchburg, Virginia April 30, 2014.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Platts confirms it was Bakken BOOM! crude oil:
CSX says 15 cars derailed from train in Virginia

From Bloomberg:

This time it’s Lynchburg, Virginia. Don’t know where the train originated, what type of oil, but there is indeed a trend!

Video from News8000.com

Bakken BOOM crude oil MUST be DEGASIFIED before it is shipped, shipped by rail, shipped by pipeline, it must be DEGASIFIED before it goes anywhere, because the high gas content is what makes it dangerous.  DEGASIFY now.  How many more towns must burn before they DEGASIFY?

Here’s the DOT letter regarding degasifying:

1_2_14 DOT Rail_Safety_Alert

And here’s the part that addresses degasifying the crude before transport:

Come on, DOT, how hard is that to understand?  Bakken crude must be degasified before it goes rolling down the track.

From Common Dreams:

Black Smoke, Flames Spew from Train Derailment

From Reuters:

CSX train carrying oil derails in Virginia in fiery blast

From desmogblog:

Breaking: CSX Railroad “Bomb Train” Carrying Crude Oil Explodes in Lynchburg, Virginia

From the STrib:

Tanker cars carrying crude oil derail, catch fire in Lynchburg, Va.; buildings evacuated