Legalectric

Slowly but surely, Delmarva Power/PEPCO is admitting the Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway (MAPP) isn’t needed. We’ve weathered the weather, and they’re not even utilizing demand response, so where’s the need?  They’ve delayed this project, shortened it when they cut out the part through Delaware from Indian River Power Plant to the Salem nuclear plant, delayed and delayed, and now they’re REALLY delaying it, putting it off until at least 2019-2021.

Remember how the sky would fall and we’d be sweltering in the dark on a respirator without a job if this didn’t go through right away?  Well, guess again, and again, and again… the system is just fine, we can turn the lights on, we’re OK, and this line still isn’t needed and won’t be, probably ever!

MAPP PHI announces delay in project 8-19-11

From MAPP’s corporate parent, PEPCO Holdings Inc.:

As the Environmental Coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway (MAPP), I want to provide you with a brief update on the project.

As you may recall, MAPP is a proposed, high-voltage, electric transmission line that Pepco Holdings, Inc. (PHI) plans to build, beginning in northern Virginia, crossing the southern and eastern shores of Maryland, and ending in Delaware.

I want you to know that PHI has notified the Maryland Public Service Commission and Virginia State Corporation Commission that the company is requesting temporary delays in the Commissions’ reviews of the respective applications filed by the utility’s subsidiaries, Pepco and Delmarva Power, for state regulatory approval of MAPP. These requests were filed after PJM Interconnection’s recent analyses indicated that the MAPP in-service date should be moved from 2015 to the 2019-2021 time frame. (PJM is the operator of the regional electric power grid).

However, PJM is also currently evaluating the criteria it uses to determine the need for transmission projects. Once this process is completed, PJM will reassess the need and timeline for transmission expansion in the region.

At this time, PHI will review the work required to support MAPP based on the new in-service date, and will keep you informed on subsequent developments regarding this project.

Please be assured that PHI and PJM are dedicated to maintaining the reliability of this region’s transmission system, and will continue to analyze the need for new transmission projects that provide safe and reliable service for customers.

For additional information about MAPP, please visit the project website at www.powerpathway.com or contact me via phone at 302-283-6115 or e-mail at mark.okonowicz@pepcoholdings.com.

Also, members of our MAPP team would be happy to meet with you in person to discuss the project. Please let me know if you would like to have a meeting scheduled.

Sincerely,
Mark Okonowicz
MAPP – Environmental Coordinator

There a link on the Press Release to a PJM letter:

PJM’s MAPP Letter to PEPCO

The MAPP transmission project is needing a DOE EIS because they’re getting DOE funding for it.  What’s the status on that?  D-E-L-A-Y… delay delay delay…

DOE’s Key EIS Schedule

The MAPP EIS doesn’t seem to be happening… The DOE site says that it was to be released next month, or maybe December, but rumor has it that the DOE is waiting on info from the applicants… delay delay delay… and in the meantime, the DOE is still accepting (sounds like REQUESTING) Comments:

Community and Environmental Defense Services states that:  While the Scoping comment period ended April 4, 2011, DOE will continue accepting comments, which should be directed to:

Douglas Boren
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC–54)
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585
Douglas.Boren@hq.doe.gov
Fax: 202–586–7031
202–287–5346

Again, contact info if you’d like to send a “Thank You” note of appreciation  to Mark Okonowicz and PEPCO for admitting what we’ve all known all along, that this MAPP transmission line is not needed:

302-283-6115

or

mark.okonowicz@pepcoholdings.com

Good, I’ve got a few things to rattle his cage about… as if…

Remember when Clinton came to Carleton?  He flew into MSP and then hopped a helicopter to Stanton Airport.  Initially I figured that’s how they’d do it this time, just head east instead of west, but thinking about that “bus” bit, and the FAA no fly zones, errr, methinks it will be along 52 from MPS to Cannon Falls down to Decorah, IA.

President Barack Obama is planning to stop in Minnesota on Monday to begin a three-day bus tour to promote his economic policies. The White House announced Thursday that Air Force One will land in Minneapolis on Monday morning and then the president will host a town hall meeting in Cannon Falls at Lower Hannah’s Bend Park.
Monday, Aug. 15, 2011:

Lower Hannah’s Bend Park (just north and west of downtown)

Monday, Aug. 15, 2011 – 11:45 AM

Tickets required.  Tickets may be picked up at 1 PM on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2011, at 1 PM at the Cannon Falls City Hall.

Only two tickets/person are allowed and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
(Rumor has it only 500 tickets being distributed.)

The bus tour will also include events in Peosta, Iowa, and in western Illinois.

From the White House Press Release:

For security reasons, do not bring bags and limit personal items.  No signs or banners permitted.  All attendees will go through airport-like security.  Due to limited space at the event the White House will only be able to fulfill a limited number of requests for tickets. Tickets are not for sale or re-sale.

Peosta, Iowa???  That’s where Art Hughes died!

… to put it mildly.

I’ve posted a few things about the Fukushima nuclear disaster:

Past Legalectric posts about Fukushima

And it’s just so depressing to read about this, but here we go again, finally some admission that yes, it is really that bad.  From the Washington Post:

Japanese scientist: Fukushima meltdown occurred within hours of quake

Well, DUH!  A choice paragraph from that article:

About 11 hours later, all of the uranium fuel in the facility’s unit 1 reactor had slumped to the bottom of its inner containment vessel, boring a hole through a thick steel lining, the University of Tokyo’s Naoto Sekimura told a committee of the National Academy of Sciences.

From the Mainichi Daily News:

Study says fuel at Fukushima reactor possibly melted twice

And from the Voice of America:

Japanese Nuclear Crisis Leaves Fukushima Town Broken

The International Atomic Agency’s most recent post was as of June 2:

Fukushima Nuclear Accident Update Log

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Carrie Daklin – Fair Use

Who is Carrie Daklin and why is Carrie Daklin defending professional liar…errrrr… lobbyist Tom Minnery?

Franken missed an opportunity to be kind to a witness – Carrie Daklin

Why is Minnesota Public Radio promoting her defense of liar Tom Minnery?

Tom Minnery – Focus on the Family – Fair Use

You may have seen the video of Franken outing Focus on the Family’s Tom Minnery for misrepresentation of a study in his Senate testimony, claiming it supported his statements when it did not:

First, methinks everyone should be clear that when you testify, it’s supposed to be TRUE!  If you make this sort of representation in law school, you can be tossed out.  If you make this sort of representation in a trial, you can get slapped with a perjury charge.  In Senate?  Well, were I the chair, I’d have called an immediate recess to review and if, as Franken stated, it was a misrepresentation, I’d have tossed Minnery out of the room.  That he thought it was acceptable says a lot about his character.

So on to his “defense.”  Today one of the news services in my inbox noted that “Religious right attack (sic) Al Franken for exposing false anti-gay testimony”  (where’s their editor?).  That lead me to a number of blogs posting this MPR piece by Daklin, celebrating that someone had come to Minnery’s defense.  HUH?

Listen to this pablum:

I have testified in a trial. It is not fun, it is not exciting. It is stressful. You are out of your element. Your adversary is salivating to get you to say something he can spin, some little something he can magnify out of proportion and use to his advantage. As an experienced paralegal I knew this when I testified, and I was in hyper-vigilant mode because I knew it. Imagine what it is like for someone who has no knowledge of the courtroom.

Yes, Daklin has testified at trial.  Here’s an interesting one where she sued her father, a scary display of family dynamics and family values:

Daklin v. Lyle 2003-Ohio-2231 – Court of Appeals, Eleventh Appellate District – Geauga Co, Ohio Case No. 2002-G-2440

And she states she’s a paralegal.  So one would think she has an understanding of the need for testimony to be true.

I have no knowledge of congressional hearings. I have never been to one. I can only hope that if I did have to testify before the Senate, whoever was questioning me would be kind, would recognize that this was his sandbox, not mine, and that, as a representative of our country, he would not embarrass me for his own purposes.

Sadly, when Tom Minnery testified, that was not the kind of treatment he received from Al Franken.

Excuse me?  Someone makes a material misrepresentation during testimony, what, it should slide by?  She thinks that someone, Minnery, is making misrepresentations “for his own purpose,” that is acceptable behavior?!?  Someone, Franken, challenging Minnery on his lies (and too nicely at that) is unacceptable behavior?!?

What would be acceptable behavior for Minnery?  He should start by issuing an apology to the Senate committee for his misrepresentation and his disrespect.

Yet Daklin goes on, paragraph after paragraph, whining on the “poor Tom Minnery” angle.  What?

Minnery is a lobbyist who spends a lot of time in D.C.  This guy is a pro.  He knows exactly what he’s doing.  Focus on the Family had $130 MILLION in revenue in 2008, the last year for which I could find an IRS 990.  Minnery is a Senior Vice President of GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY — he’s their lobbyists’ lobbyist.  In 2008, he made $145,284 plus $17,911 in “benefits.”  Focus on the Family reported 18,400 volunteer hours for lobbying in 2008.  They reported direct and indirect lobbying expenses of $224,641.00 in 2008 “to influence a legislative body.”  In 2008, they paid Minnesota Family Institute $41,640 for “assistance with voter guide.”  This does NOT include the “Focus on the Family Action” activities (a 501(c)(4) entity).

Focus on the Family 2008 IRS Form 990

Daklin issues this bogus “defense” of poor attacked Minnery and the anti-gay crowd is lapping it up.  Why is she taking up the defense of a professional lobbyist who spends his days influencing legislative bodies, and covering for his proven misdeeds?  Her paralegal experience and her own experience of making statements under oath should make her sufficiently aware of the importance of truth in testimony.  Why take up the defense of someone so powerful, with so much money behind him, when he was exposed as a LIAR!  When he was caught in his misdeeds?  Sounds to me like she’s acting out unresolved issues and doing herself and her credibility a big disservice in the process…

You can pursue that goal and feed the dog at the same time, it just takes a little extra effort…

For years, through a B.A. in a truck, and losing everything getting through law school, that framed quote on my wall helped me keep going against tremendous resistance…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JERRY!