excelsior-yahoos

Dying the death of a thousand cuts, here’s one more paper cut for our good friends at Excelsior Energy.

Excelsior Energy’s Mesaba Project, the creme-de-la-creme of vaporware projects, was slashed again by a Midwest Independent System Operator filing with FERC that the project had breached its transmission interconnection agreement and was in default.  MISO has asked FERC to terminate the agreement:

ER13-1049 Notice of Termination Filing

The state has been unreasonably and inexplicably reluctant to kill this non-project.  Maybe the feds are willing?

Mayor Egan Resigns

March 7th, 2013

egan3City Pages screengrab from KARE 11

’bout time he got around to making it official…

Mayor Egan Resignation

Onward, and hopefully this time we’ll find a mayor with some integrity and ethics.

dsc01265Today the public hearings continue for the Hollydale transmission project.

1:30 p.m. at the Medina Ballroom on Hwy. 55

It’s a 115 kV line proposed for Plymouth and Medina through people’s yards — not a good idea.  DUH!

For the full docket, go to the PUC’s Search Docket Page and search for 12-113.

Here’s how they present it in Figure 2 of the Certificate of Need application:

But here’s what it really looks like:

I’m representing a family that lives west of the “Focused Study Area” who just moved to Medina and were surprised by this project — no notice that it was proposed — and are challenging need for the project, and if need is demonstrated, supporting the A-2 distribution system alternative, an upgrade of the 13.8 kV system to 34.5 kV, distributed generation at the load along the area highways, and a combination that would address any demonstrated need:

Petition for Intervention — March 4, 2013

The parties had a phone conference Monday about Xcel Energy’s request to delay the evidentiary hearings (we aren’t formal parties at this point and weren’t invited, but thanks to “plays well with others” Xcel for the heads up about it):

Xcel Energy request for continuance (SF 716 attached)

And the response from Western Plymouth Neighborhood Alliance:

Western Plymouth Neighborhood Alliance

It’s odd delaying a project hearing for a bill that’s speculative, who knows if it might pass or not.  But it’s delayed, the evidentiary hearing, that is, until May or June sometime, after the legislative session is over, and details remain to be worked out.  I’d guess Xcel Energy has other reasons not to go forward with the evidentiary hearing on need for this line…

mayordennisegan

Mayor Egan, where is your letter of resignation?  Send him an email and ask him!

dennis.egan@ci.red-wing.mn.us

And the City Council too!

jsebion3@gmail.com, lisa.bayley@ci.red-wing.mn.us, deanhove@charter.net, michael.v.schultz@charter.net, peggy.rehder@ci.red-wing.mn.us, ralph.rauterkus@ci.red-wing.mn.us, marilyn.meinke@ci.red-wing.mn.us

After telling City Council members over the weekend that he’d be resigning, at the City Council meeting last week, Mayor Egan said he’d be turning in his letter of resignation on Tuesday.  That didn’t happen.
Then “the Mayor came in at the end of last week and said he would be getting it to us on Monday (today).”  Yet it’s not been seen.

Out with it, Mayor Egan, resign!

How hard is it to write a letter of resignation?  How hard is it to follow through on something?  How hard is it to keep your word?

Looks like the City Council should proceed with that investigation, and remove you from office, since you’re not following through on your promises of resignation.

capitolhorses

Senate File 786 will be heard by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee tomorrow:

S.F. 786 as introduced

There are a lot of things missing, hence:

Overland Comments on S.F. 786 and Exhibits

The bus is going up to the Capitol again tomorrow, here’s the schedule per Land Stewardship Project:

Get on the Bus! Bus Route: Houston – Rushford – Winona – Wabasha – Red Wing – St. Paul

Reserve Your Seat be contacting: Amanda Griggs at 507-896-2165 or griggsamanda1@gmail.com .

Bus Schedule

7:00 a.m. leave Houston from Barista’s Coffee House. (Barista’s will open at 6:30 a.m.)

7:15 a.m. in Rushford ­Lynndyn-Bridge Restaurant (102 West Jessie St.)

7:45 a.m. in Winona ­ JC Penney parking lot (Hwy. 61 and Pelzer St.)

8:45 a.m. in Wabasha ­ City of Wabasha overflow parking lot across from Supervalu.

9:45 a.m. in Red Wing ­ Target Store parking lot just off Tyler Road on the north side of town.

10:40 a.m. Arrive at the Capitol.

3:00 p.m. Return to SE Minnesota