Legalectric

That MPCA logo… looks like it’s got the whole world in its hands (things appear unbidden on my tape loop, sorry!)

MPCA is here on Legalectric today, with help from Alan Muller, because they issued a “2007-08 Solid Waste Policy: Draft for Public Comment” which is open for Comment. Yes, it’s open for Comment, but it was issued on December 21, 2007, just prior to the world shutting down for two weeks, and the Comment period is open for only three weeks.

Quick, email the MPCA’s Jim Chiles, and Commissioner Brad Moore and ask that the Comment period be extended another 30 days!

Jim Chiles: jim.chiles@state.mn.us

Commissioner Moore: brad.moore@pca.state.mn.us

Now read carefully on that home page, because this is going to be a report to the legislature — and that legislative hearing will present another opportunity to let them know what you think! Here’s “Solid Waste Policy Lite,” the presentation for “stakeholders” which of course doesn’t include you and me or those working and commenting on certain incineration issues… and just who was included? Have they held any meetings in the communities where incinerators are proposed? Has the MPCA announced this Solid Waste Policy at any of the recent meetings where Solid Waste Policy as an issue? Have “stakeholders” been spreading the word about this Solid Waste Policy? Inquiring minds want to know. They call this a “Roadmap” which harkens back to the misguided push for coal gasification by Joyce Foundation, GPISD, RE-AMP and others, and it’s clearly a way of setting policy…

Solid Waste Policy Lite

MPCA Draft Solid Waste Policy for Comment

And here’s the full MPCA Solid Waste Policy page:

MPCA’s Solid Waste Policy Page

… so here’s the MPCA, setting Solid Waste Policy as directed, not by Minnesota and federal law, but as directed by their boss, The Green-Chameleon, Tim Pawlenty:

Solid Waste Policy has been a recurring issue at the MPCA, and here we are, doing a similar policy dance that went down twenty years ago, at the time the MPCA recognized its environmental leadership role inherent in the agency’s legislative charge, and recognized the necessity of those on the front lines dealing with permitting and analysis of project proposals to weigh in:

MPCA Memo – Stand up and DO YOUR JOB!

MPCA staff critical of heavy reliance on incineration – STrib Nov 4 1988

And now, the 2007-08 Solid Waste Policy is promoting a sharp increase in incineration. The MPCA!!! Does Commissioner Moore know of and endorese this policy? Is this a reasonable position for the state agency charged with, NAMED AS, the Pollution Control Agency? Is this just a classic case, like air permitting, of inability to control it so what the hell, let’s do more, let’s waive the restrictions, up the limits so that “we’re in compliance.” Oh, great… yes, this is one green idea…

Comments anyone? There may be an extension, I’ve requested it, others probably have as well, and from Jim Chiles, who says “we plan to send out an email today on the comment-period question.” Oh, OK, and what does that mean? I’ve asked and will keep y’all posted. In the meantime, start those comments, and send by close of business on January 11, to:

* By e-mail (preferred): jim.chiles@state.mn.us
* Postal mail:

Jim Chiles
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
520 Lafayette Road N
St. Paul, MN 55155-4194

* Fax: 651-297-8676

Now get to work!

Kevin Dahle takes it by 13%. YES! Not that I’m a big fan of Dahle’s, don’t know him well at all, but it seals the DFL majority in the Senate. Pawlenty was stumping for Cox, saying that, threatening?, that if Ray didn’t win, the DFL Senate could override any veto. AWWWWWWWW… But this isn’t so surprising, given the index of the district. What’s most surprising is his high level of support in the southwestern and western part of the district, 25A, where a Republican could be expected to do better. But despite party endorsement, Ray had two challengers in the Primary:

SD 25 Primary results

So it’s clear that there’s resistance, and that resistance was from the 25A part of the district. In LeSueur County, it was less than two percentage points, and Vance Norgaard’s share was 3.5%, but it’s hard to tell where Vance’s voters were, and typically independents draw equally from both, ask Ralph Nader!

LeSueur County results

On the other hand, Ray won in Sibley County by a wide margin, nearly 10 percent:

Sibley County results

Then there’s the Scott County share of SD25, where Ray won by nearly 14 percent:

Scott County results

And coming in last, the latest to report, was Rice County, Northfield holding up the show while we sit on the edge of our chairs:

Rice County results

Dahle wins Rice County by 27 percent! Northfield, of course, thinks it’s so special, but look at the townships, where I think candidates rise or fall. Look at Bridgewater, a township lurching towards urbanization in disturbing ways:

Bridgewater results

Dahle takes Bridgewater by over 6%, which has traditionally been a Ray precinct in House elections. Look at Shieldsville, which Dahle took by 12 percent:

Shieldsville results

Wheeling Township, home of Doug Jones,

oh, not THAT Doug Jones, this Doug Jones is one of Ray’s Republican handlers, the guy who has the award-winning McMansion sprawling across a hilly pasture near Nerstrand… anyway, typically, that’s a township leaning Republican, but here’s the Wheeling vote, exactly equally divided:

Wheeling Township

And look at Ward 2, Precinct 1 of Northfield, looking like a Northfield precinct should, with Dahle getting 73 percent of the vote:

Northfield Ward 2, Pct 1

Ward 2, Precinct 2 is also a strong win for Dahle:

Northfield Ward 2, Pct 2

Ray didn’t take a single precinct in Northfield, where they know him best and where his prior representation of House District 25B apparently didn’t go over too well! Here’s the Secretary of State site so you can look at the County and the Precinct by Precinct numbers:

Secretary of State 1/03/08 SD 25 Election Results

Now, what will the DFL do with this? Does the DFL have the gonads to use their majority, to stand up and turn our wrongheaded policy, particularly energy policy, around?  The whole world is watching… well, at least Minnesota!

The hearing schedule has been issued in the First Prehearing Order in the CapX 2020 docket.  For more info, go here:

CapX 2020 Transmission Prehearing Order

And for the whole scoop, it’s at www.nocapx2020.info

Senate District 25 election is today!

No excuses, get out and vote!

Stolen “Fair Use” from NWS-Shreveport! 

We’re in another of those confusing spots, one that leaves me wondering whether Excelsior Energy had to blow a lot of money on legal fees before the end of the year… it’s hard to find another explanation for the flurry of inexplicable activity zipping through the wires lately (see prior posts, chimp scratching).   Excelsior and Xcel are fighting in the Appellate Court, see Excelsior Appeal – Statement of the Case

And then there’s the Excelsior Energy Petition under Minn. Stat. 216B.1694 where they are saying that the statute says they get transmission associated with the Mesaba Project free and clear, with no requirement of a Certificate of Need, but hey, guys, if the PPA has not been approved, and if the Chair of the Commission is saying “You’ve got to come up with something else,” and “No one wants it, no one needs it, and we’re not going to force it on anyone,” get a grip… there’s NO project, and NO entitlement… give it up…

I couldn’t let that Petition sit like the fart in the elevator so today I filed this:

MCGP Motion to Dismiss Excelsior Energy Petition re: Transmission

Now why might they want to shore up their claim to transmission for a project that doesn’t exist!