The “peaceful atom” strikes Japan
March 12th, 2011
One suggestion of the fallout path from Beyond Nuclear and Australian Radiation Service:
BOOM! Here we go… explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. I write this as I’m sitting here in Red Wing, near two nuclear reactors (which are built not far from a fault in downtown Red Wing), and in Delaware with the THREE Salem and Hope Creek reactors just across the Delaware River, this is NOT what I want to see. Our reliance on nuclear power, Minnesota’s recent repeal of our nuclear moratorium, HOW STUPID CAN WE BE? That this would happen in Japan makes it even worse.
At issue are the following nuclear plants (from NIRS fact sheet, linked below):
Regarding the map above, Michael Mariotte of NIRS claims the numbers are way off, that as it is “there would be no increased radiation in the United States, however, these wind patterns and increased levels would come into play in the event that the core melts down.” (emphasis added) …but folks, that’s what the map says, M-E-L-T-D-O-W-N! Here’s NIRS’ info about this:
Last night in the STrib there was a quote from some nuclear muck-a-muck noting the high radiation levels in the plant and saying, “I sure wouldn’t want to be in there now.” Every nuclear worker, every CEO, officers, board of every company making money on that plant better be there dealing with it first hand, it’s their moral obligation.
Behind the Hydrogen Explosion at the Fukushima nuclear plant
Below, a transformer fire at the plant, prior to the explosion:
Overland files rulemaking petition with OAH
March 11th, 2011
Oh there she goes again…
Overland has filed a rulemaking petition with the Office of Administrative Hearings to hopefully address some of the inconsistencies of the rules, and interpretation of the rules, by Administrative Law Judges handling cases for the Public Utilities Commission.
Why? Because it is SO hard for people to participate in these dockets, and the rules and the way they’re interpreted make it even harder, and are not in conformance with the Power Plant Siting Act’s requirement to make public participation a priority.
Coming soon – ones covering the issues at PUC and MOES that occur over and over and over and over and over…
Public Utilities Commission will webcast AWA Goodhue hearing!
March 9th, 2011
FLASH: NEXT WEEK, March 15-17, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will broadcast the AWA Goodhue hearing!
The PUC has entered the 21st Century!!! Notice just came over the wire that they’re going to webcast the AWA Goodhue evidentiary hearing. For those not in the know, this is the hearing in the administrative docket that is to address whether the PUC should apply the Goodhue County Wind Ordinance to the AWA Goodhue wind project. I’m representing Goodhue Wind Truth in the many Goodhue Wind project dockets.
The notice says:
To Access the Webcast:
Go to: www.puc.state.mn.us
See the ‘Upcoming Events’ forTuesday, March 15 through Thursday March 17, 2011
Click on the current day’s link: Evidentiary Hearing, AWA Goodhue Wind, LLC: Site Permit – St. Paul
Click on: WATCH WEBCAST
hmmmmmmm, I clicked on the “agenda” and it’s not there yet…
To see the full docket on this project, go to www.puc.state.mn.us and click on “Search eDockets” and search for docket 08-1233.
MAPP line goes for FEDERAL LOAN GUARANTEES
March 7th, 2011
Remember the Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway?
A while back, PEPCO or PHI, announced that they would not be moving forward with this project.
Lower energy production puts brakes on powerlines – News Journal January 24, 2010
Now they’re going for DOE federally guaranteed loans… funny how that works. A project that is delayed and delayed because it is NOT needed, that they are NOT willing to finance on their own, that they can’t or won’t get market financing for it, that they can’t or won’t finance themselves, and so now they want federal financing? Sounds like the DOE needs some lessons from Fannie Mae about financing outrageous and unsupportable projects!
Thinking about this, and what that pro forma must look like, I called the DOE rep about getting a copy of the loan application. Seems it’s not online and it’s not public and I’m going to have to do a FOIA request to get it, and that it will be redacted. OK, whatever… will keep you all posted about that!
Here are the official notices of the financing arrangement and the scoping meetings:
And Pepco’s MAPP site has the announcement on their “Events” page:
The public hearings are as follows:
Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Presentation of Project Description & Oral Comments: 7:00 pm
Place: Holiday Inn Express – Prince Frederick
355 Merrimac Court
Prince Frederick, MD 20678Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Presentation of Project Description & Oral Comments: 7:00 pm
Place: Cambridge-South Dorchester High School
2475 Maple Dam Road
Cambridge, MD 21613Date: Thursday, March 24, 2011
Presentation of Project Description & Oral Comments: 7:00 pm
Place: Indian River Senior Center
214 Irons Ave
Millsboro, DE 19966
Be there or be square!
Goodhue Wind Docket … REFILE!
March 2nd, 2011
Order to refile exhibits, and Goodhue Wind Truths’ Subpoena requests denied!
Whew — actually it helps. We got an order yesterday that we need to refile the Testimony. There’s so much and it doesn’t fit into neat little bundles that can be filed with the eFile system, and I’m glad I wasn’t the only one having trouble with that.
But the denial of the subpoena requests sucks. MOES had filed Affidavits related to intent, and we’ve not had the opportunity to cross regarding their assertions:
MOES Comments – Affidavit of Ingrid Bjorklund
AWA Goodhue’s Motion for Summary Disposition (see p. 10)
Ingrid Bjorklund was a wind industry lobbyist at the time this was winding through the legislature, yet here she is, as a Commerce employee, making a statement in an Affidavit, under oath, conclusory statements about legislative intent. EH? Both documents above contain statements about what Mikey Bull may or may not have said. What’s Michael Bull got to do with legislative intent? To borrow a fist-pounding-the-desk phrase from Rep. Dennis Ozment, “I don’t recall electing NSP to the legislature!” Oh wait, he was there at the Green Chameleon Gov’s behest then…
So I decided to requests subpoenas for both Ingrid Bjorklund and Mike Bull:
Goodhue Wind Truth – Subpoena Requests for Bjorklund and Bull
Are we having fun yet? Xcel’s Chris Clark seemed to think so when I gave him the heads up at Thursday’s PUC meeting!
Not to worry, folks, the ALJ denied the request…
ALJ Sheehy’s Letter to Overland – Denial of Subpoena Requests
And now, for something completely different… back to reformatting all the exhibits… oh, what I would do for support staff, the grrrrrrrrrls just can’t work a computer without drooling on the keyboard!