Legalectric

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No CapX 2020 – Scoping Comments filed

Here’s the latest – Excelsior Energy’s appeal of the PUC-nondecision on its Mesaba Project IGCC plant was tossed out, one more nail in the Excelsior coffin!  “This appeal is dismissed as premature and not taken from a final agency action.”  That’s one.  AND, they were also tossed out on their request for discretionary review!  TWO NAILS!

Excelsior Appeal Decision A07-2305

Excelsior Appeal Order A07-2306

How many nails does it take?  We’ll see, because we’ll just keep hammering and hammering.

Oh, this is hilarious, I’m not the only one onto the Gov, WHEW! maybe there’s hope!  “Sundoggie” told me about this, saying it’s probably good for the Gov. — I THINK NOT!

Dig this:

Will Steger and The Chameleon

So on that happy note, enough for the day, GOOD NIGHT!

… and go away! Seems to me people are catching on to the difference between Gov. “Green Chameleon” Pawlenty’s talk and the walk.

The talk:

And the walk:

Pawlenty responds to protesters (KSAX/KRWF)

and see TPT’s coverage here:

Global Warming in Ely

and here’s MPR:

Protesters greet Gov. Pawlenty at environmental meeting

January 5, 2008

Ely, Minn. — Gov. Tim Pawlenty was greeted by protesters at an Ely, Minn., summit on global climate change. Demonstrators worry that copper and precious metals mining planned on the Iron Range will create dangerous waste that could pollute area water supplies for decades or longer.

Gov. Pawlenty said there needs to be a balance, and that the mining could be done safely.

“One of the themes of the discussion today was making sure we balance the need to make sure that people have jobs and economic growth and economic activity, with being good stewards with the environment and the need reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and address climate change. I think both can be done,” says Gov. Pawlenty. The Ely summit is the first of several meetings that Gov. Pawlenty and Will Steger are holding around the state.

Minn. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar joined the Ely summit, along with a dozen Iron Range business and academic leaders.

Pawlenty says, “the mining could be done safely.” “Could be…” but WILL it be safe? Give me a break… And what exactly is he doing to assure that it be safe? “Mining” with toxic chemicals… grrrrrrr… I represented two of the “Crandon 29,” 29 people who were arrested for protesting the proposed sulfide mining in Wisconsin. That project didn’t go forward. Now we’re watching that type of insane idea go forward here in Minnesota. Where are the state agencies charged with protecting our environment and the public interest? Oh, but they’re the executive branch, the arm of the Governor. Too bad those “agency arms” aren’t like the tail of a chameleon, grab it and it comes off (as the chameleon runs away). Oh well, get ready MPCA and Dept. of Commerce, we’re pulling on your tail and won’t let go!

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There is good news here… that good news is that Gov. “Green Chameleon” Pawlenty is having to confront the impact of his policies. He is lots of talk, saying the things that the public wants to hear, but if you look at what he’s done in Minnesota, it’s pretty awful.

As with former Rep. Ray Cox, who bent over trying to posture himself in the same mold, Pawlenty is seeing his policy come back at him. GOOD, hold him accountable! This Green Chameleon Governor is the guy who has his agency toadies interfere in energy dockets when he sees obviously bad projects going south, projects like Mesaba’s IGCC coal gasification plant, one that shouldn’t ever have seen the light of day, much less get millions in federal and state money, OUR money:

Garvey “Policy Statement”

Garvey’s Last Shot

Those are pretty outrageous examples of what this Governor is all about, the kinds of interference that he’s willing to run for a project that costs too much, does not significantly reduce emissions, and is not in the public interest — yes, Excelsior’s Mesaba Project — where the ALJs (TWO of them) reviewed the record, tens of thousands of pages, and came up with that determination, will somebody please explain why Pawlenty would support Excelsior Energy and the Mesaba Project? Green? Not quite…. And supporting it against evidence??? Who’s he bending over for? Whatever is he thinking? The voters recently let Ray Cox know what they thought of that chameleon stance, and as he says, “… just like the 2006 election I was pounded by Northfield voters.” Naaaaah, this was a LOT worse than the 2006 election…

Gov. Green Chameleon, do you understand that the voters are feeling the impacts of your regressive policies and are voting accordingly?

Good, Minnesota got an extension from the MPCA of the Comment period — Comments on the Draft Solid Waste Policy Report.

Once more with feeling, here it is:

MPCA Draft Solid Waste Policy for Comment

And there’ s more info on the Solid Waste Policy page:

MPCA Solid Waste Policy page

The following Notice of Extension came this afternoon from Richard Andre of the MPCA:

Dear interested parties:

As you are aware, the MPCA sent out a comment draft of the 2007 Solid Waste Policy Report on December 21, 2007. A copy of the December 21 draft Report can be found at this website: www.pca.state.mn.us/2007policyreport

Stakeholder comments and information have started to arrive via email (thank you!), but the MPCA has also heard from some groups over the holidays that extra time beyond the December 21 – January 11 comment window would be appreciated. Some of the requests for additional comment time have noted that the MPCA is going beyond the usual solicitation of opinions and is also requesting specific information about energy, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental effects, ability to implement, and costs of specific policy proposals. In addition, we realize that some parties are only now becoming aware of this Biennial Report, despite our outreach to environmental groups, counties, cities, waste managers, the business community, and other interested parties that occurred from June through October 2007.

In the interest of giving more time for such useful information to be gathered, which will result in a better statewide policy, the MPCA has decided to extend the stakeholder response deadline two additional weeks, from January 11 to the close of business on Friday, January 25. This will move back the Report’s delivery date to mid-February 2008. At that point, the Report becomes information for legislative consideration, which offers the opportunity for additional public input prior to the actual decision-making process.

The contact information for sending your responses to the MPCA remains the same as previously provided on December 21 (see below). Responses via email are preferred.

The MPCA also invite stakeholders who are sending their comments and information by email to “reply all” to the list of email addresses on this message. That way, other interested parties can see your comments and information directly. Extending the opportunity for stakeholders to compare notes in this manner is another reason the MPCA is adding an extra two weeks to the comment period. As part of preparing the final version of the Solid Waste Policy Report, the MPCA will sort and summarize stakeholder comments and information and include that information in an appendix to the Report.

Also, MPCA Commissioner Brad Moore is making time available to meet briefly with groups that would prefer a face-to-face meeting in addition to submitting their written comments. There will be 15-minute time slots available on Thursday morning, January 31, 2008, from 8:30 to 11:30 am. Timeslots are limited. To request such a meeting, please contact Miriam Bergmark at 651/296-7302. Please be aware that in the interest of having time available for the full range of groups who might be interested in such an opportunity, such meetings will need to be short and focused so that others who are waiting to meet with Commissioner Moore may be accommodated.

In summary, please send your comments on the draft Solid Waste Policy Report along with any other information you would like to provide (e-mail is preferred) by the close of business on Friday, January 25, 2008, to the attention of:

Jim Chiles, Solid Waste Policy Report Staff Coordinator
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Municipal Division, Solid Waste Section
520 Lafayette Road North
St. Paul, MN 55155-4194

jim.chiles@state.mn.us
651/ 296-7273 voice
651/ 297-8676 fax

That’s a win for the home team, small, but what the hell.  Anyway, of note is the short list that received this notice, guess how many look like more than waste industry toadies?  A small handful, a very small handful.