Legalectric

From Albert Lea Tribune, Fair Use, capturing one of those classic “oh shit…” moments in trucking… (see article below).

In another “oh shit” moment, the Bent Tree Wind Farm noise testing report is out, was released about a month ago, and I’m finally getting around to publishing it.

Bent Tree – Survey of Operational Sound Levels

Take a look at p. 19 and 20 for L10 and L50 levels, and look how frequently the levels are higher state noise limits! See Minn. Rule 7030.0040:

Here’s a summary chart from the Bent Tree noise report, p. 13:

And what they’re trying to do is to remove background sound so that the numbers won’t be above what is allowed by the state’s rules.  Graphically, here’s what that comparison, with and without background noise, looks like, p. 43:

The article that was the source of the photo at the top is from the Albert Lea Tribune, and it’s old news, from Sept. 2010, but for those inquiring minds that want to know:

Wind turbine tower falls off truck

Published 9:43am Thursday, September 16, 2010

MANCHESTER — A section of a Vestas wind turbine tower slipped off the semi that was hauling it early Thursday morning.

The truck was carrying the large tower section on gravel 695th Avenue north of Freeborn County Road 29 near West Freeborn Lutheran Church. It fell off near a turn in the road.

The gravel roads in southern Minnesota were saturated after heavy rains Wednesday night. Albert Lea received more than an inch on Wednesday.

Fortunately for the construction workers, the ditch along 695th Avenue was shallow compared to most. It is a minimal traffic road.

Trucks have been delivering these large pieces to each site in the Bent Tree Wind Farm since July.

The Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident. The call went out around 7 a.m. Sheriff Mark Harig said as far as he knew there were no injuries or damages reported.

“It’s just blocking the road,” Harig said.

He said as of 8 a.m. a deputy was still near the site performing traffic control.

“They’ll have to get a crane to pick it up and move it where it needs to go,” Harig said.

Calls to Bent Tree Wind Farm officials were not immediately returned before this story went to press Thursday morning.

Not only can she open a babygate (in any configuration) faster than we can replace it,  shoulder open any door not firmly latched, sort through the garbage, and dump over the dog food container and lounge in the pile snarfing it all down as though she were eating bon-bons, our dear Summer has now learned to open the fridge.  Judging from the kitchen floor, she does not like potatoes.  Judging from the doggy bed in my office, she loves tortillas, whole wheat and white flour and corn too.

… sigh… that’s our Summer grrrrrrrrrrrl!

DUH! We all know what the point of the Susquehanna-Roseland transmission is, PSEG! Back during the Susquehanna Roseland hearing, I introduced a FERC filing reflecting the 660MW transfer across the river to New York, that was what, a year and a half ago now?

Ex. 12 – STL D 16c – FERC Compliance Filing

So how is this Firm Transmission Withdrawal Rights for 685MW and 330 MW is news?  The NJ BPU was NOT in the dark about this…

Now where’s that other 670MW… Exhibit 96…  it’s in here somewhere… here’s a post from November, 2009:

How far down does electrical demand have to go…

Here’s yesterday’s piece from the New Jersey Spotlight:

Federal Agency OK’s Power Transfer from New Jersey to New York

Interconnect likely to lead to higher electricity prices and greater congestion on the grid — along with possible summer blackouts

By Tom Johnson, June 30 in Energy & Environment

New Jersey has lost another battle with federal regulators, a setback likely to lead to higher electricity prices for consumers in the state.

Over the protests of the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on Monday approved an interconnection request to allow 660 megawatts of power to be transferred from the Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) Ridgefield substation to a Consolidated Edison West 49th Street substation in Manhattan.

Beyond increasing energy and capacity prices for ratepayers here, the state agency argued the interconnection would negatively affect reliability in northern New Jersey, which is already projected to face the possibility of brownouts beginning in summer 2012.

By drawing power from New Jersey, opponents of the project argue it will increase congestion, driving up the cost of power and capacity. Power suppliers receive capacity payments to have power plants in reserve to deliver electricity at times of peak demand.

The power line to the lucrative New York City market is being developed by Hudson Transmission Partners LLC.

New Jersey has found itself in an increasingly combative relationship with the federal agency. Because of high energy costs, the state approved a pilot program to have ratepayers subsidize the development of three natural gas-fired power plants. But as the state’s filing noted, that effort will be impeded by actions taken by the federal agency governing how power plants bid in capacity auctions.

The state had sought either to have the agency reject the interconnection agreement between Hudson, the New York Independent System Operator and Con Ed or to hold a proceeding to debate the issue.

In rejecting the state’s request, the federal agency ruled the sole issue in the matter involved the interconnection agreement, saying reliability and other concerns had been addressed in prior proceedings.

Greg Reinert, a spokesman for the BPU, said the agency is disappointed with the decision. “It imperils further our system, and its reliability.” He also said it seems inconsistent with recent rules adopted by FERC. In the past year, state regulatory officials have grown increasingly frustrated with actions taken by FERC and the PJM Interconnection, which operates the regional power grid serving more than 50 million people. They have intervened in a number of cases, including efforts by PSE&G to obtain special incentive rates for transmission projects they are developing, as well as a proposed natural gas pipeline that would run through Jersey City and into New York City.

Here’s the recent “eagle drops fawn on transmission line” incident:

Close, but not quite a moose:

And if snopes says it’s TRUE it must be!

Minnesota now has government shut-down.  Gee thanks.  To the Republicans, give me a break… this “Compromise” is breathtaking, bullshit beyond belief:

“Confidential Draft” (6/29/11)

Offers – 6/30/11

I won’t slave for beggars pay, likewise gold and jewels,
I would slave to learn the way to sink your ship of fools…

The bottles stand as empty, as they were full before,
Time there was and plenty, but from that cup no more
Though I could not caution all, I still might warn a few
Don’t lend your hand to raise no flag atop a ship of fools